ES2769912T3 - Fixed uplink allocation technique - GSM evolution packet data traffic channel resource transmission management - Google Patents

Abstract

A radio access network node (1022), RAN, configured to interact with a core network node (107), CN, and a wireless device (1042), the RAN node comprising: a processor (1322); and, a memory (1342) that stores executable instructions per processor, where the processor interacts with the memory to execute the executable instructions per processor, whereby the RAN node can function to: receive (302), from the wireless device, one or more repetitions of an access request message (204), wherein the access request message comprises: an indication of a number of data blocks (2021, 2022 ... 202x) that the wireless device intends to transmit to the RAN node; and transmitting (304), to the wireless device, one or more repetitions of an uplink assignment message (206), wherein the uplink assignment message comprises: an indication of a number of radio blocks previously assigned in a packet data traffic channel; an indication (NTX, UL) of an uplink coverage class, UL; and an indication of a starting point of the previously assigned radio blocks that the wireless device is to use to transmit a first data block from the data blocks that the wireless device intends to transmit to the RAN node, wherein The previously assigned radio blocks are assigned in such a way that all repetitions of each of the data blocks are transmitted contiguously by the wireless device, and in which the previously assigned radio blocks are assigned in such a way that they do not all data blocks need to be transmitted contiguously with respect to each other by the wireless device.

Description

DESCRIPTION

Fixed uplink allocation technique - GSM evolution packet data traffic channel resource transmission management

Technical field

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of wireless communications and, more particularly, to a radio access network node (such as, for example, a base station subsystem), to a wireless device (such as, for example, a mobile station), and various methods to improve the allocation of radio resources for wireless communications. In one embodiment, the radio access network node and the wireless device implement a fixed uplink allocation technique. In another embodiment, the radio access network node and the wireless device implement a flexible downlink allocation technique.

Background

The following abbreviations and terms are defined herein, at least some of which are referred to within the following description of the present disclosure.

3GPP

Third generation partnership project

ACK

Acknowledgment of receipt

AGCH

Access grant channel

SO C

Application specific integrated circuit

BLER

Block error rate

BSS

Base station subsystem

DC

Coverage class

EC

Extended coverage

eDRX

Extended discontinuous reception cycle

EC-AGCH

Extended coverage access grant channel

EC-PCH

Extended coverage paging channel

DSP

Digital signal processor

EDGE

Improved data rates for GSM EGPRS evolution

FAI Enhanced General Packet Radio Service

final acknowledgment indicator

Fda

Flexible downlink mapping

FN

Frame number

FUA

Fixed uplink allocation

GSM

Global system for mobile communications

GERAN

GSM / EDGE radio access network

GPRS

General packet radio service

HARQ

Hybrid auto-repeat request

IMSI

International mobile subscriber identity

IoT

Internet of things

LLC

Logical link control

LTE

Long-term evolution

MCS

Modulation and coding scheme

MS

Mobile station

MTC

Machine-type communications

PCH

Paging channel

PDN

Data packet network

PDTCH

PDU packet data traffic channel

RACH protocol data unit

Random access channel

RAN

Radio access network

RAI

RAU routing area identity

RLC routing area update

Radio link control

RRBP

SGSN relative reserved block period

GPRS TDMA Support Service Node

TFI time division multiple access

Temporal flow identity

TS

Temporary window

TSC

TSG Training Sequence Code

Technical specification group EU

User equipment

USF

Uplink State Flag

WCDMA

Broadband code division multiple access

WiMAX

Global interoperability for microwave access

Coverage class: At all times, a device belongs to a specific uplink / downlink coverage class that corresponds to the performance attributes of the legacy radio interface that serve as reference coverage for legacy cell planning (for example, a 10% block error rate after a single radio block transmission on the PDTCH) or a range of degraded radio interface performance attributes compared to reference coverage (for example, up to 20 dB less than the reference coverage). The coverage class determines the total number of blind transmissions to be used when transmitting / receiving radio blocks. An applicable uplink / downlink coverage class at any time may differ between different logical channels. When initiating a system access, a device determines the uplink / downlink coverage class applicable to RACH / AGCH based on the estimate of the number of blind transmissions of a radio block required by the BSS receiver / device receiver to experience a BLER (block error rate) of about 10%. The BSS determines the uplink / downlink coverage class to be used by a device on the device's allocated packet channel resources based on an estimate of the number of blind transmissions of a radio block required to satisfy a target BLER and considering the number of HARQ retransmissions (of a radio block) that, on average, will be required for successful reception of a radio block using that target BLER. Note: A device operating with radio interface performance attributes corresponding to the reference coverage is considered to be in the best coverage class (i.e. coverage class 1) and therefore does not make blind transmissions .

EDRX Cycle: Electronic discontinuous reception (eDRX) is a process of a wireless device that disables its ability to receive, when it does not expect to receive incoming messages, and that enables its ability to receive during an accessibility period, when it anticipates the possibility of receiving messages. For eDRX to work, the network coordinates with the wireless device regarding when accessibility instances will occur. Therefore, the wireless device will be activated and enabled to receive messages only during previously scheduled accessibility periods. This process reduces power consumption, which extends the battery life of the wireless device and is sometimes called sleep mode (deep).

Nominal Paging Group: The specific set of EC-PCH locks the monitors of a device once per eDRX cycle. The device determines this specific set of EC-PCH blocks using an algorithm that takes into account its IMSI, its eDRX cycle length, and its downlink coverage class.

As explained in the meeting # 63 Tdoc GP-140624 of 3GPP TSG-GERAN, entitled "Cellular IoT-PDCH UL Resource Management", dated from August 25 to 29, 2014, the evolution of GSM (now called EC-GSM) will use the concept of radio block pre-allocation in the uplink (UL) EC packet data traffic channel (PDTCH) resources to avoid uplink transmissions based on the uplink status indicator (USF) to wireless devices that operate in extended coverage, and to optimize power consumption on the wireless device when in packet transfer mode. The present disclosure describes various ways to improve the allocation of radio resources in wireless communications to address a need associated with the concept of preallocating radio blocks or radio resources in the UL EC-PDTCH. Furthermore, the present disclosure describes various ways to improve the allocation of radio resources in wireless communication to address a need associated with the concept of pre-allocation of radio blocks or radio resources in DL EC-PDTCH.

WO 2013/008208 A1 discloses a signaling procedure for establishing and terminating connections for small data transmissions (SDT) by wireless devices. A wireless device sends an access request message to a serving wireless access node on a random access channel (RACH). The access request message includes an indication that access is for an SDT. The message of Access request includes the amount of data that will be transmitted as part of the SDT. The wireless access node sends an allocation message to immediately allocate radio resources to the wireless device without the need for additional signaling for SDT to start. When the wireless device starts SDT, the first data block is encoded and transmitted according to a predetermined first encoding scheme. If there are subsequent data blocks, the wireless device includes an information element in the header of the first data block to indicate the encoding scheme for the subsequent data blocks.

The Ericsson document: 3GPP Draft GP-140624, 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), Mobile Competence Center; 650, Route Des Lucioles; F-06921 Sophia-Antipolis Cedex ,; France, vol. TSG GERAN, no. Ljubljana, Slovenia; 20140825-20140829, August 24, 2014, XP050779914 discloses a device (a cellular IoT device) that works with different classes of coverage. The device first requests the "requested radio block number (X1)" as part of its access request, where X1 indicates the number of unique / distinct data blocks that it needs to transmit (ie regardless of the number of repeats) for a given coding and modulation scheme (MCS). The access request can indicate the MCS anticipated by the device, as well as its coverage class Yl. Allocation messages sent to AGCH can provide the device with information on which specific uplink radio blocks to use for its uplink payload transmission using the TBF_COMIENZO_TIEMPO field (which identifies the location of the first previously allocated radio block in the channel packet data traffic (PDTCH), either in relation to the downlink radio block where the allocation message is received or using an absolute frame number), and the NUMBER OF ALLOCATED RADIO BLOCKS field (indicating that N1 consecutive radio blocks have been previously allocated in the allocated resources of PDCH). The payload consists of X1 radio link control (RLC) unique / distinct data blocks where each is transmitted (repeats) Y1 times using the previously assigned uplink radio blocks where X1 * Y1 = N1.

Summary

The object of the invention is defined in the attached independent claims. A radio access network node (such as, for example, a BSS), a wireless device, and various methods of addressing at least the needs mentioned above are described in the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments of the radio access network node (such as, for example, a BSS), the wireless device and the various methods are further described in the dependent claims.

In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a radio access network node (RAN) configured to interact with a central network node (CN) and a wireless device. The RAN node comprises a processor and a memory that stores instructions executable by the processor, where the processor interacts with the memory to execute the instructions executable by the processor, so that the RAN node can be operated to perform a reception function and transmission function. In the receive function, the RAN node receives one or more repetitions of an access request message from the wireless device. The access request message comprises: an indication of a number of data blocks that the wireless device intends to transmit to the RAN node. In the transmit function, the RAN node transmits one or more repetitions of an uplink assignment message. The uplink allocation message comprises: (a) an indication of a number of previously allocated radio blocks on a packet data traffic channel; (b) an indication of an uplink coverage class (UL); and (c) an indication of a starting point of the previously assigned radio blocks that the wireless device will use to transmit a first data block from the data blocks that the wireless device intends to transmit to the RAN node. An advantage of the RAN node implementing these functions is that it can support uplink data transmissions for a wireless device operating in an extended coverage condition for which the USF-based legacy mechanism commonly used to support data transmissions of uplink is not feasible.

In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method in a radio access network node (RAN) configured to interact with a core network node (CN) and a wireless device. The method comprises a receive step and a transmit step. In the receive step, the RAN node receives one or more repetitions of an access request message from the wireless device. The access request message comprises: an indication of a number of data blocks that the wireless device intends to transmit to the RAN node. In the transmission step, the RAN node transmits one or more repetitions of an uplink allocation message. The uplink allocation message comprises: (a) an indication of a number of previously allocated radio blocks on a packet data traffic channel; (b) an indication of an uplink coverage class (UL); and (c) an indication of a starting point of the previously assigned radio blocks that the wireless device will use to transmit a first data block (2021) from the data blocks that the wireless device intends to transmit to the node. from RAN. An advantage of the RAN node implementing these steps is that it can support uplink data transmissions for a wireless device operating in an extended coverage condition for which the commonly used USF based legacy mechanism to support link data transmissions ascending is not feasible.

In yet another aspect, the present disclosure provides a wireless device configured to interact with a radio access network (RAN) node. The wireless device comprises a processor and a memory that stores instructions executable by the processor, where the processor interacts with the memory to execute the instructions executable by the processor, so that the wireless device can be operated to perform a function of transmission and a reception function. In the transmit function, the wireless device transmits one or more repeats of an access request message to the RAN node. The access request message comprises: an indication of a number of data blocks that the wireless device intends to transmit to the RAN node. In the receive function, the wireless device receives one or more repetitions of an uplink assignment message from the RAN node. The uplink allocation message comprises: (a) an indication of a number of previously allocated radio blocks on a packet data traffic channel; (b) an indication of an uplink coverage class (UL); and (c) an indication of a starting point of the previously assigned radio blocks that the wireless device will use to transmit a first data block from the data blocks that the wireless device intends to transmit to the RAN node. An advantage of the wireless device that implements these functions is that it can support uplink data transmissions while operating in an extended coverage condition for which the commonly used USF-based legacy mechanism to support uplink data transmissions is not feasible.

In still another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method in a wireless device configured to interact with a radio access network (RAN) node. The method comprises a transmit step and a receive step. In the transmission step, the wireless device transmits one or more repeats of an access request message to the RAN node. The access request message comprises: an indication of a number of data blocks that the wireless device intends to transmit to the RAN node. In the receive step, the wireless device receives one or more repeats of an uplink assignment message from the RAN node. The uplink allocation message comprises: (a) an indication of a number of previously allocated radio blocks on a packet data traffic channel; (b) an indication of an uplink coverage class (UL); and (c) an indication of a starting point of the previously assigned radio blocks that the wireless device will use to transmit a first data block from the data blocks that the wireless device intends to transmit to the RAN node. An advantage of the wireless device that implements these steps is that it can support uplink data transmissions while operating in an extended coverage condition for which the commonly used USF-based legacy mechanism to support uplink data transmissions is not feasible.

Additional aspects of the present disclosure will be set forth, in part, in the detailed description, figures and any claims that follow, and in part will be derived from, or may be learned by practice of the invention. It should be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are only exemplary and explanatory and not restrictive of the present disclosure.

Brief description of the drawings

A more complete understanding of the present disclosure may be obtained by reference to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an exemplary wireless communication network comprising a CN node, multiple RAN nodes, and multiple wireless devices that are configured in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a signal flow diagram illustrating the signaling associated with a wireless device that does a small uplink data transmission to a RAN node using a fixed uplink allocation technique in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure;

Fig. 3 is a flow chart of a method implanted in the RAN node shown in Fig. 2 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary structure of the RAN node shown in FIG. 2 configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

Fig. 5 is a flow chart of a method implanted in the wireless device shown in Fig. 2 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary structure of the wireless device shown in FIG. 2 configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

Figure 7 is a signal flow diagram illustrating the signaling associated with a wireless device that receives a small downlink data transmission from a RAN node using a flexible downlink allocation technique in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure;

Fig. 8 is a flow chart of a method implanted in the RAN node shown in Fig. 7 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary structure of the RAN node shown in FIG. 7 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 10 is a flow chart of a method implanted in the wireless device shown in FIG. 7 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary structure of the wireless device shown in FIG. 7 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 12 is a signal flow diagram illustrating the signaling associated with a wireless device that receives a small downlink data transmission from a RAN node using a flexible downlink allocation technique in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 13 is a flow chart of a method implanted in the RAN node shown in FIG. 12 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary structure of the RAN node shown in FIG. 12 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

Fig. 15 is a flow chart of a method implanted in the wireless device shown in Fig. 12 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 16 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary structure of the wireless device shown in FIG. 12 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Detailed description

A discussion is first provided herein to describe an exemplary wireless communication network that includes a CN node (such as an SGSN), multiple RAN nodes (such as BSSs), and multiple wireless devices that are configured in accordance with the present disclosure (illustrated in Figure 1). Next, a discussion is provided to disclose how a RAN node and wireless device can implement a fixed uplink allocation technique in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure (illustrated in Figures 2-6). Subsequently, a discussion is provided to disclose how a RAN node and wireless device can implement a flexible downlink allocation technique in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure (illustrated in Figures 7-16).

Exemplary Wireless Communication Network 100

Referring to Figure 1, an exemplary wireless communication network 100 is illustrated in accordance with the present disclosure. Wireless communication network 100 includes a core network 106 (comprising a CN node 107) and multiple RAN nodes 1021 and 1022 (only two are shown) that interact with multiple wireless devices 1041, 1042, 1043 ... 104n. Wireless communication network 100 also includes many well-known components, but, for clarity, only the components necessary to describe the characteristics of the present disclosure are described here. Furthermore, the wireless communication network 100 is described herein as a GSM / EGPRS wireless communication network 100 which is also known as an EDGE wireless communication network 100. However, one skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the techniques of the present disclosure that apply to the GSM / EGPRS wireless communication network 100 are generally applicable to other types of wireless communication systems, including, for example, WCDMA, LTE and WiMAX systems.

Wireless communication network 100 includes RAN nodes 1021 and 1022 (only two are shown), which provide network access to wireless devices 1041, 1042, 1043 ... 104n. In this example, RAN node 1021 provides network access to wireless device 1041 while RAN node 1022 provides network access to wireless devices 1042, 1043 ... 104n. RAN nodes 1021 and 1022 are connected to core network 106 (such as SGSN core network 106), and in particular to CN node 107 (eg SGSN 107). Core network 106 is connected to an external packet data network (PDN) 108, such as the Internet, and to a server 110 (only one is shown). Wireless devices 1041, 1042, 1043 ... 104n can communicate with one or more servers 110 (only one shown) connected to core network 106 and / or PDN 108.

Wireless devices 104i, 1042, 1043 ... 104n may generally refer to an end (user) terminal that connects to wireless communication network 100, and may refer to either an MTC device (eg, a meter smart) or to a non-MTC device. Furthermore, the term "wireless device" is generally intended to be synonymous with the term mobile device, mobile station (MS). The term "user equipment," or UE, is as used by 3GPP, and includes separate wireless devices such as terminals, cell phones, smart phones, tablets, and personal digital assistants equipped with wireless technology, as well as cards or modules. Wireless devices that are designed to be connected to or inserted into another electronic device, such as a personal computer, an electrical meter, etc.

Similarly, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the term RAN node 1021 and 1022 is used here in the most general sense to refer to a base station, wireless access node, or wireless access point. in a wireless communication network 100, and may refer to RAN nodes 1021 and 1022 that are controlled by a physically different radio network controller, as well as more autonomous access points, such as so-called evolved B nodes (eNodeB ) in long-term evolution networks (LTE).

Each wireless device 1041, 1042, 1043 ... 104n can include a transceiver circuit 1101, 1102, 1103 ... 110n to communicate with RAN nodes 1021 and 1022, and a circuit 1121, 1122, 1123 ... 112n of processing to process signals transmitted and received by the transceiver circuit 1101, 1102, 1103 ... 110n and to control the operation of the corresponding wireless device 1041, 1042, 1043 ... 104n. The transceiver circuit 1101, 1102, 1103 ... 110n can include a transmitter 1141, 1142, 1143 ... 114n and a receiver 1161, 1162, 1163 ... 116n, which can operate in accordance with any standard, for example, the GSM / EDGE standard. The processing circuit 1121, 1122, 1123 ... 112n can include a processor 1181, 1182, 1183 ... 118n and a memory 1201, 2102, 1203 ... 120n to store program code to control the operation of the wireless device. corresponding 1041, 1042, 1043 ... 104n. The program code may include a code to perform the procedures as described below with respect to Figures 5, 10, and 15.

Each RAN node 1021 and 1022 may include a transceiver circuit 1221 and 1222 for communication with wireless devices 1041, 1042, 1043 ... 104n, a processing circuit 1241 and 1242 for processing signals transmitted and received by the transceiver circuit 1221, and 1222 and to control the operation of the corresponding RAN node 1021 and 1022, and a network interface 1261 and 1262 to communicate with the core network 106. Transceiver circuit 1221 and 1222 may include a transmitter 1281 and 1282 and a receiver 1301 and 1302 , which can operate according to any standard, such as the GSM / EDGE standard. The processing circuit 1241 and 1242 may include a processor 1321 and 1322, and a memory 1341 and 1342 for storing the program code to control the operation of the corresponding RAN node 1021 and 1022. The program code may include a code to perform the procedures as described below with respect to Figures 3, 8, and 13.

CN node 107 (eg, SGSN 107, mobility management entity (MME) 107) may include a transceiver circuit 136, for communication with RAN nodes 1021 and 1022, a processing circuit 138, for processing signals transmitted from and received by transceiver circuit 136 and to control the operation of CN node 107, and a network interface 140 to communicate with RAN nodes 1021 and 1022. Transceiver circuit 136 may include transmitter 142 and receiver 144, which can operate in accordance with any standard, eg, the GSM / EDGE standard. Processing circuit 138 may include processor 146 and memory 148 for storing program code to control the operation of CN node 107. The program code may include code to perform the procedures as described below.

Fixed uplink assignment technique

The fixed uplink allocation (FUA) technique is used in the uplink of an EC-PDTCH by providing a wireless device 1042 (for example) with a fixed start point to transmit each block of a set of blocks 2021, 2022. RLC data radio 202n, from its buffered user plane payload, to RAN node 1022 (for example), as briefly described below and described in more detail below with respect to Figures 2-6.

- A feature of FUA technique is that wireless device 1042 is pre-assigned, in an uplink allocation message 206 (such as, for example, an EC-AGCH resource allocation message 206), in a set of radio blocks in up to 4 time windows where wireless device 1042 subsequently transmits one or more 2021, 2022 ... 202 ^x blocks of RLC data to RAN node 1022, where each 2021, 2022 ... 202 ^x data block RLC is repeated according to a value for N ^tx , ^ul indicated by the uplink allocation message 206.

- The set of radio blocks is assigned so that all repeats of each specific block 2021, 2022 ... .202 ^x of RLC data are transmitted contiguously but without the need for blocks 2021, 2022 ...

202 ^x RLC data is transmitted contiguous to each other.

- After transmission of its 202i, 2022 ... 202 ^x blocks of RLC data on previously assigned radio blocks, wireless device 1042 waits during a corresponding acknowledgment / unacknowledged message 208 (Ack / Uplink Packet Nack (PUAN), which occurs within a variable amount of time after wireless device 1042 transmits the last assigned radio block. PUAN message 208 provides an Ack / Nack bitmap and another set of preallocated uplink radio blocks (if required; i.e. when all blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202 ^x RLC data they have not been successfully received by RAN node 1022) so that wireless device 1042 can continue its uplink transmission.

An exemplary sequence of signaling steps associated with the FUA technique is illustrated in Figure 2 and described in detail below with respect to wireless device 1042 (eg, IoT device 1042) having a link coverage class. uplink that needs N ^tx , ^ul repeats, a downlink coverage class that needs N ^tx , ^dl repeats and that needs X blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202 ^x encoded MCS-1 RLC data to send its payload from the user plane. The exemplary signaling steps associated with wireless device 1042 that initiates a small uplink data transmission to transmit its user plane payload to RAN node 1022 are as follows:

Step 1: Wireless device 1042 transmits multiple repeats of a small data request message 204 (for example, an access request message 204) on the EC random access channel (RACH) to node 1022 of rAn (for example , a BSS 1022). The number of repetitions is determined based on the estimated uplink coverage class (UL) of the wireless device (note: a wireless device in normal coverage would use a single transmission (i.e., not repeated) when transmitting a request message 204 small data in RACH / EC-RACH). Small data request message 204 can be configured as follows:

- The wireless device 1042 includes information within the small data request message 204 as indicated in Table 1, where the MCS-1 encoded block number field is used to indicate that the wireless device 1042 has X 2021 blocks, 2022 .. 202 ^x RLC data from MCS-1 to transmit to RAN node 1022.

- The TSC uses an indication of whether wireless device 1042 supports MCS-5 through MCS-9 or not when transmitting small data request message 204 based on the legacy function.

- The small data request message 204 transmitted in the EC-RACH includes an indication of the DL coverage class estimated by the wireless device 1042.

- The system information (SI) transmitted in time window (TS) 1 indicates that if a 1043 wireless device (for example) is in normal coverage (N ^tx , ^ul = N ^tx , ^dl = 1), then it will perform an access to the system using the RACH of the TS0 or the RACH of the TS1. Note: System (SI) information would be transmitted by RAN node 1022 before wireless device 1043 used RACH to transmit small data request message 204.

Table 1: Contents of Small Data Request Message 204

Step 2: The uplink assignment message 206 is transmitted by the RAN node 1022 to the wireless device 1042 on the EC-AGCH using a series of repetitions as indicated by the DL coverage class value included in the message 204 small data request:

- The uplink allocation message 206 indicates the number of previously allocated MCS-1 encoded UL radio x blocks, the starting point of the previously allocated radio blocks required to send the first RLC data block 2021 ( for example) on allocated EC-PDTCH resources (for example, expressed as an offset relative to where the link assignment message 206 is received ascending) as well as the start points of the previously assigned radio blocks needed to send the additional RLC data blocks 2022, 2023 ... 202 ^x , where each RLC data block 2021, 2022, 2023 ...

202X ships using NTX, UL repeats.

- The uplink allocation message 206 also indicates the DL coverage class N ^tx , ^dl value and the UL coverage class N ^tx , ^ul value to be used by wireless device 1042 on the allocated resources of the EC-PDTCH. This DL coverage class can override the DL coverage class indicated by wireless device 1042 in small data request message 204.

- For example, if the uplink payload requiring transmission consists of 5 data blocks 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 (X = 5) of MCS-1 RLC, and N ^tx , ^ul indicates that they need 8 repetitions, so a total of 40 radio blocks (XN ^tx , ^ul ) needs to be transmitted. Each RLC data block 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 will be transmitted using 8 previously assigned contiguous radio blocks.

- The uplink allocation message 206 may indicate a different encoding scheme than MCS-1 (eg, depending on the capacity of wireless device 1043 (eg) when sent in response to a small data request message 204 from a 1043 wireless device (for example) in normal coverage.

- The set of N ^tx , ^ul of preallocated radio blocks used to transmit any RLC data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x can be transmitted using compact burst mapping.

Step 3: A HARQ scheme can be used to transmit the payload of the uplink, where, after transmitting the set of X blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202 ^x , of RLC data, the wireless device 1042 waits for a message corresponding PUAN 208.

Step 4: RAN node 1022 (for example, BSS 1022) transmits PUAN message 208 after trying to receive the set of X blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202 ^x RLC data from wireless device 1042.

- Wireless device 1042 may start looking for an expected PUAN message 208 in the first block of the associated DL EC Packet Control (PACCH) channel (corresponding to the DL coverage class of wireless device 1042) followed by the last preallocated radio block that wireless device 1042 used to transmit the N ^tx , ^ul repeats of the last UL RLC data block 202 ^x (ie, RLC data block X).

- Wireless device 1042 examines fixed sets of EC-PACCH blocks based on the DL coverage class assigned to wireless device 1042 (ie, N ^tx , ^dl ). For example, if wireless device 1042 uses N ^tx , ^dl = 2 (ie, 2 blind repeats) will only look at fixed pairs of EC-PACCH blocks in an attempt to receive a matching PUAN message 208. As such, wireless device 1042 will view each multiple frame 52 on a monitored TS as potentially containing 6 pairs of EC-PACCH blocks, where any one of these pairs may potentially contain the expected PUAN message 208 from wireless device 1042.

- If the expected PUAN message 208 is not received within the first possible set of EC-PACCH blocks, then wireless device 1042 may attempt to receive the PUAN message 208 within the next possible set of EC-PACCH blocks but within the context of a certain maximum time window.

- When the expected PUAN message 208 is received and indicates that RLC data blocks 2023, 2025 and 20210 are missing (for example), they are retransmitted to the RAN node 1022 by the wireless device 1042 using the new set of radio blocks Assigned uplink links indicated by PUAN message 208 (see step 5).

- PUAN message 208 may also indicate a new value for N ^tx , ^ul that wireless device 1042 will apply when forwarding the remaining Y blocks 2023, 2025 and 20210 of RLC data (for example) (see step 5) . - If the expected PUAN message 208 is not received within a maximum allowed time window, the wireless device 1042 will abort the uplink transmission. RAN node 1022 (for example, BSS 1022), by transmitting PUAN message 208 and not detecting any uplink radio blocks 2023, 2025, and 20210 (for example) in previously allocated resources, can forward the message 208 from PUAN using EC-PACCH blocks according to N ^tx , ^dl (for example, when deciding to forward PUAN message 208, RAN node 1022 will apply the same N ^tx , ^dl previously used for that wireless device 1042).

- RAN node 1022 (eg BSS 1022) may abort uplink transmission after failing to receive missing RLC data blocks 2023, 2025, and 20210 (eg) after forwarding PUAN message 208 a specific number of times implantation.

Step 5: Step 3 is repeated, but wireless device 1042 transmits AND blocks 2023, 2025, and 20210 data RLC (for example) instead of transmitting X blocks 202i, 2022 ... 202 ^x RLC data.

Step 6: After all X blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x of RLC data have been received, RAN node 1022 (for example, BSS 1022) reassembles a logical link control PDU 209 ( LLC) (comprising an Internet Protocol (IP) packet that uses the X blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202 ^x RLC data) and transmits the LLC 209 PDU to the CN node 107 (eg SGSN 107) .

Step 7: RAN node 1022 (for example, BSS 1022) transmits a PUAN message 210 to wireless device 1042 indicating that all X blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202 ^x RLC data have been received and includes an end acknowledgment indicator (FAI) configured to indicate uplink transmission compliance. Wireless device 1042 receives PUAN message 210 on the EC-PACCH, as described in step 4, and observes that all X RLC blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202 ^x of data have been received by node 1022 of ^r A ⁿ (for example, BSS 1022). The RAN node 1022 / wireless device 1042 then releases the allocated UL EC-PDTCH resources after sending / receiving, except in the case where the priority field of the small data request message 204, in step 1, indicate high priority (for example, an alarm), in which case step 8 may apply below.

Step 8: The packet control acknowledgment message 212 is optional, but would normally be used for the case where the UL payload (X data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202 ^x RLC) was transmitted for an alarm report event (for example, since the alarm report needs more reliability). The wireless device 1042 transmits the packet control acknowledgment message 212 using a single repeated uplink EC-PACCH block according to the last value of n Utx, ul [sic.] Provided by the RAN node 1022 (for example, BSS 1022) to wireless device 1042.

- The RRBP field in the EC-PACCH block header used to send the PUAN message 210 indicates the start point of the previously assigned UL radio blocks to be used to transmit the acknowledgment message 212 packet control (eg Ntx, ul radio blocks are pre-assigned).

- If RAN node 1022 (eg, BSS 1022) cannot receive an expected packet control acknowledgment message 212, then RAN node 1022 (eg, BSS 1022) may retransmit message 210 PUAN a specific number of times deploy and then abort uplink transmission, as in step 4.

- The wireless device 1042 that receives a PUAN message 210 requesting the transmission of an acknowledged packet control message 212, after transmitting the packet control acknowledged message 212, will continue to monitor the DL for possible EC-PACCH for a limited time slot Z (eg, indicated by PUAN message 210) for the possible arrival of a repeated PUAN message 210 requesting retransmission of packet control acknowledgment message 212.

- If no additional PUAN message 210 is received during time slot Z, then wireless device 1042 releases UL-allocated EC-PDTCH resources.

Note: Due to the half-duplex nature of the FUA technique, simultaneous downlink reception will not occur during the time of an uplink transmission.

Referring to FIG. 3, a flow chart of a method 300 implanted at RAN node 1022 (eg, BSS 1022) is shown in FIG. 2 in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. In step 302, the RAN node 1022 receives one or more repeats of an access request message 204 (for example, a small data request message 204) from wireless device 1042 (for example) (see step 1 Figure 2 for additional details). Access request message 204 may comprise: (a) an indication of a number of blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x of data that wireless device 1042 intends to transmit to RAN node 1022; and (b) an indication (Ntx, dl) of a DL coverage class estimated by wireless device 1042. The number of repetitions of access request message 204 is based on the UL coverage class.

In step 304, RAN node 1022 transmits one or more repeats of an uplink assignment message 206 to wireless device 1042 (see step 2 of FIG. 2 for additional details). The uplink allocation message 206 may comprise: (a) an indication of a number of previously allocated radio blocks on a packet data traffic channel; (b) an indication (Ntx, ul) of a UL coverage class; and (c) an indication of a starting point of the previously assigned radio blocks that wireless device 1042 will use to transmit a first data block 2021 (for example) from blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x data that wireless device 1042 intends to transmit to RAN node 1022; (d): an indication (N ^tx , ^dl ) of a DL coverage class; and (e) an indication of the starting points of the previously assigned radio blocks that wireless device 1042 will use to transmit subsequent blocks 2022 ... 202x of data (for example) to the first data block 2021 (by example) that the device Wireless 1042 is intended to transmit to RAN node 1022. The number of repetitions of the uplink allocation message 206 is based on the N ^tx , ^dl of the DL coverage class. As discussed above, previously assigned radio blocks are assigned by RAN node 1022, so that (1) all repeats of each of blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x of data are to be transmitted in a manner contiguous by wireless device 1042, and (2) previously assigned radio blocks are allocated so that none of the data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x need to be transmitted contiguously with the others by wireless device 1042.

In step 306, the RAN node 1022 receives from the wireless device 1042 a portion of those blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x of data that were indicated in the access request message 204 (see step 3 of FIG. 2 for additional details - note: wireless device 1042 transmits all 2021, 2022 ... 202x blocks of data and, ideally, RAN node 1022 would receive all 2021, 2022 ... 202x blocks of data, but in this example, RAN node 1022 does not receive data blocks 2023, 2025, and 20210). Node 1022 of ^r A ⁿ would receive the portion of the number of data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x of the portion of the previously allocated radio blocks. Furthermore, each of the blocks 2021, 2022, 2024, 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029, 202n ... 202x (for example) of received data would have been repeated a number of times (N ^tx , ^ul ) by the wireless device. 1042 in accordance with UL coverage class.

In step 308, RAN node 1022 transmits one or more repeats of a first acknowledgment message 208 (eg, a PUAN message 208) to wireless device 1042 (see step 4 of Figure 2 for additional details ). The first acknowledgment message 208 comprises: (a) a first bitmap indicating the portion of the number of blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x of data that has been received and the remaining part of the number of blocks 2021 , 2022 ... 202x of data not received (note: in this example, RAN node 1022 has not received data blocks 2023, 2025, and 20210); (b) an indication of another number of previously allocated radio blocks in the packet data traffic channel that wireless device 1042 will use to transmit the remaining portion of the number of data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x which in this example are blocks 2023, 2025 and 20210 of data; and (c) an indication (N ^tx , ^dl ) of a DL coverage class. The number of repetitions of the first acknowledgment message 208 is based on the DL coverage class.

In step 310, RAN node 1022 receives from wireless device 1042 the remaining portion of the number of data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x which in this example are data blocks 2023, 2025, and 20210 (see step 5 of figure 2 for additional details). RAN node 1022 would receive the remaining portion of the number of data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x in the previously assigned radio blocks indicated by the first acknowledgment message 208. Furthermore, each of the received data blocks 2023, 2025, and 20210 would have been repeated multiple times (N ^tx , ^ul ) by wireless device 1042 in accordance with the UL coverage class.

In steps 312 and 314, the RAN node 1022 mounts (step 312) an LLC PDU 209 that includes the received portion and the remaining received portion of the number of data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x (i.e. all data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x) and transmits (step 314) of LLC PDU 209 to the node 107 C ⁿ (for example, SGSN 107) (see step 6 in figure 2 for further details ).

In step 316, RAN node 1022 transmits one or more repeats of a second acknowledgment message 210 (eg, PUAN message 210) to wireless device 1042 (see step 7 of Figure 2 for additional details. ). The second message acknowledgment 210 comprises a second bitmapped, indicating that all data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x have been received by the node ⁿ RA 1022, and an indicator of acknowledgment final (FAI) indicating compliance of the uplink transmission. The number of repetitions of the second acknowledgment message 210 is based on the DL coverage class.

In step 318, the RAN node 1022 receives one or more repeats of a third acknowledgment message 212 (for example, a packet control acknowledgment message 212) from wireless device 1042 (see step 8 Figure 2 for additional details). The third acknowledgment message 212 comprises an indication that the second acknowledgment message 210 (eg, a PUAN message 210) has been received by the wireless device 1042. The third acknowledgment message 212 would have been repeated several times (N ^tx , ^ul ) by wireless device 1042 in accordance with UL coverage class. The other RAN 1021 node can also be similarly configured to perform method 300.

Referring to FIG. 4, a block diagram is shown illustrating the structures of an exemplary RAN node 1022 (for example) configured in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, the RAN node 1022 may comprise a first receive module 402, a first transmit module 404, a second receive module 406, a second transmit module 408, a third receive module 410, a receive module 412 assembly, a third transmission module 414, a fourth transmission module 416 and a fourth reception module 418. RAN node 1022 may also include other components, modules, or structures that are well known, but for clarity, only the components, modules, or structures necessary to describe the features of the present disclosure are described herein.

The first receive module 402 is configured to receive one or more repetitions of a message 204 from access request (eg, a small data request message 204) from wireless device 1042 (eg) (see step 1 of FIG. 2 for further details). Access request message 204 may comprise: (a) an indication of a number of data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x, wireless device 1042 intends to transmit to RAN node 1022; and (b) an indication (N ^tx , ^dl ) of a DL coverage class estimated by wireless device 1042. The number of repetitions of access request message 204 is based on the UL coverage class.

The first transmission module 404 is configured to transmit one or more repeats of an uplink assignment message 206 to wireless device 1042 (see step 2 of FIG. 2 for additional details). The uplink allocation message 206 may comprise: (a) an indication of a number of previously allocated radio blocks on a packet data traffic channel; (b) an indication (N ^tx , ^ul ) of a UL coverage class; and (c) an indication of a starting point of the previously assigned radio blocks that wireless device 1042 will use to transmit a first data block 2021 (for example) from data blocks 2021, 2022 .. 202x that wireless device 1042 intends to transmit to RAN node 1022; (d): an indication (N ^tx , ^dl ) of a DL coverage class; and (e) an indication of the starting points of the previously assigned radio blocks that the wireless device 1042 will use to transmit data blocks 2022 ... 202x (for example) subsequent to the first data block 2021 (for example) that wireless device 1042 intends to transmit to RAN node 1022. The number of repetitions of the uplink allocation message 206 is based on the DL coverage class. As discussed above, previously assigned radio blocks are assigned by RAN node 1022 such that (1) all repeats of each of data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x are transmitted contiguously by wireless device 1042, and that (2) the previously assigned radio blocks are allocated so that not all data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x need be transmitted contiguously to each other by the device wireless 1042.

The second receiving module 406 is configured to receive from the wireless device 1042 a portion of the number of data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x that were indicated in the access request message 204 (see step 3 of FIG. 2 for additional details - note: wireless device 1042 transmits all data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x and ideally RAN node 1022 would receive all data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x, but in this example the RAN node 1022 does not receive data blocks 2023, 2025, and 20210). The RAN node 1022 would receive the portion of the number of data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x of the portion of the previously allocated radio blocks. Furthermore, each of the received data blocks 2021, 2022, 2024, 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029, 20211 ... 202x (for example) would have been repeated several times (N ^tx , ^ul ) by the wireless device 1042 of In accordance with UL coverage class.

The second transmission module 408 is configured to transmit one or more repeats of a first acknowledgment message 208 (eg, a PUAN message 208) to wireless device 1042 (see step 4 of Figure 2 for additional details) . The first acknowledgment message 208 comprises: (a) a first bitmap indicating the portion of the number of data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x that has been received and a remaining portion of the number of data blocks data 2021, 2022 ... 202x not received (note: in this example, RAN node 1022 has not received data blocks 2023, 2025, and 20210); (b) an indication of another number of previously allocated radio blocks in the packet data traffic channel that wireless device 1042 will use to transmit the remaining portion of the number of data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x which in this example are data blocks 2023, 2025 and 20210; and (c) an indication (N ^tx , ^dl ) of a DL coverage class. The number of repetitions of the first acknowledgment message 208 is based on the DL coverage class.

The third receive module 410 is configured to receive from the wireless device 1042 the remaining portion of the number of data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x, which in this example are data blocks 2023, 2025 and 20210 (see step 5 of figure 2 for additional details). RAN node 1022 would receive the remaining portion of the number of data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x in the previously assigned radio blocks indicated by the first acknowledgment message 208. Furthermore, each of the received data blocks 2023, 2025, and 20210 would have been repeated multiple times (N ^tx , ^ul ) by wireless device 1042 in accordance with the UL coverage class.

Mounting module 412 is configured to mount an LLC PDU 209 that includes the received portion and the remaining received portion of the number of data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x (i.e., all data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x). The third transmission module 414 is configured to transmit the LLC PDU 209 to the CN node 107 (eg SGSN 107) (see step 6 of Figure 2 for additional details).

The fourth transmit module 416 is configured to transmit one or more repeats of a second acknowledgment message 210 (eg, a PUAN message 210) to wireless device 1042 (see step 7 of FIG. 2 for additional details) . The second acknowledgment message 210 comprises a second bitmap, indicating that all data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x have been received by RAN node 1022, and a final acknowledgment indicator (FAI ) indicating compliance of the uplink transmission. The number of repetitions of the second acknowledgment message 210 is based on the DL coverage class.

The fourth receive module 418 is configured to receive one or more repeats of a third acknowledgment message 212 (eg, an acknowledgment control packet message 212) from wireless device 1042 (see step 8 of Figure 2 for additional details). The third acknowledgment message 212 comprises an indication that the second acknowledgment message 210 (eg, a PUAN message 210) has been received by the wireless device 1042. The third acknowledgment message 212 would have been repeated several times (N ^tx , ^ul ) by wireless device 1042 in accordance with UL coverage class.

As will be appreciated by the person skilled in the art, modules 402, 404, 406, 408, 410, 412, 414, 416 and 418 described above of the RAN node 1022 (eg BSS 1022) can be implanted separately as suitable dedicated circuits . Furthermore, modules 402, 404, 406, 408, 410, 412, 414, 416, and 418 can also be implanted using any number of dedicated circuits through functional combination or separation. In some embodiments, modules 402, 404, 406, 408, 410, 412, 414, 416, and 418 can even be combined into a single application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). As an alternative implementation based on software, the RAN node 1022 (eg, BSS 1022) may comprise a memory 1342, a processor 1322 (including, but not limited to, a microprocessor, a microcontroller, or a processor). digital signal (DSP), etc.) and a transceiver 1222. Memory 1342 stores machine-readable program code executable by processor 1322 to cause RAN node 1022 (eg, BSS 1022) to perform the steps of method 300 described above. It should be appreciated that the other RAN node 1021 can also be configured similarly to RAN node 1022 to perform method 300.

Referring to FIG. 5, a flow chart of a method 500 implanted in a wireless device 1042 (for example) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. In step 502, wireless device 1042 transmits one or more repeats of an access request message 204 (for example, a small data request message 204) to RAN node 1022 (for example) (see step 1 of Figure 2 for additional details). Access request message 204 may comprise: (a) an indication of a number of blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x of data that wireless device 1042 intends to transmit to RAN node 1022; and (b) an indication (N ^tx , ^dl ) of a DL coverage class estimated by wireless device 1042. The number of repetitions (N ^tx , ^ul ) of access request message 204 is based on the coverage coverage class. UL.

In step 504, wireless device 1042 receives one or more repetitions of an uplink assignment message 206 from RAN node 1022 (see step 2 of Figure 2 for additional details). The uplink allocation message 206 may comprise: (a) an indication of a number of previously allocated radio blocks on a packet data traffic channel; (b) an indication (N ^tx , ^ul ) of a UL coverage class; and (c) an indication of a starting point of the previously assigned radio blocks that wireless device 1042 will use to transmit a first data block 2021 (for example) from data blocks 2021, 2022 .. 202x that wireless device 1042 intends to transmit to RAN node 1022; (d): an indication (N ^tx , ^dl ) of a DL coverage class; and (e) an indication of the starting points of the remaining previously assigned radio blocks that the wireless device 1042 will use to transmit the remaining data blocks 2022 ... 202x (for example) from the data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x that wireless device 1042 intends to transmit to RAN node 1022. The number of repetitions of the uplink allocation message 206 is based on the DL coverage class. As discussed above, previously assigned radio blocks are assigned by RAN node 1022, such that (1) all repeats of each of data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x are to be transmitted from contiguously by wireless device 1042, and (2) previously assigned radio blocks are allocated such that not all data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x need to be transmitted contiguously to each other by wireless device 1042 .

In step 506, wireless device 1042 transmits data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x that were indicated in RAN node 1022 access request message 204 (see step 3 of Figure 2 for additional details - note: the wireless device 1042 in this example transmits all data blocks 2021, 2022 ...

202x, and ideally RAN node 1022 would receive all data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x, but in this example RAN node 1022 does not receive data blocks 2023, 2025, and 20210). Wireless device 1042 transmits data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x on the previously assigned radio blocks. In addition, each of the transmitted data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x would have been repeated multiple times (N ^tx , ^ul ) by wireless device 1042 in accordance with the UL coverage class.

In step 508, wireless device 1042 receives one or more repeats of a first acknowledgment message 208 (eg, PUAN message 208) from RAN node 1022 (see step 4 of Figure 2 for details. additional). The first acknowledgment message 208 comprises: (a) a first bitmap, indicating the portion of the number of data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x that the RAN node 1022 has received, and a remaining portion the number of data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x that have not been received by RAN node 1022 (note: in this example, RAN node 1022 has not received data blocks 2023, 2025, and 20210) ; (b) an indication of another number of previously allocated radio blocks in the packet data traffic channel that wireless device 1042 will use to transmit the remaining portion of the number of data blocks 202i, 2022 ... 202x, which in this example are data blocks 2023, 2025 and 202i0; and (c) an indication (N ^tx , ^dl ) of a DL coverage class. The number of repetitions of the first acknowledgment message 208 is based on the DL coverage class.

In step 510, wireless device 1042 transmits the remaining portion of the number of data blocks 2021, 2022 ... .202x, which in this example are data blocks 2023, 2025, and 20210, to RAN node 1022 (see step 2 of step 5 for additional details). The rAn node 1022 would receive the remaining portion of the number of data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x of the previously allocated radio blocks indicated by the first acknowledgment message 208. Furthermore, each of the received data blocks 2023, 2025, and 20210 would have been repeated multiple times (N ^tx , ^ul ) by wireless device 1042 in accordance with the UL coverage class.

In step 512, wireless device 1042 receives one or more repeats of a second acknowledgment message 210 (for example, a PUAN message 210) from RAN node 1022 (see step of Figure 2 of step 7 for additional details). The second acknowledgment message 210 comprises a second bitmap, indicating that all data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x have been received by RAN node 1022, and a final acknowledgment indicator (FAI ) indicating compliance of the uplink transmission. The number of repetitions of the second acknowledgment message 210 is based on the DL coverage class.

In step 514, wireless device 1042 transmits one or more repeats of a third acknowledgment message 212 (for example, an acknowledgment control packet message 212) to RAN node 1022 (see step 8 of Figure 2 for additional details). The third acknowledgment message 212 comprises the indication that the second acknowledgment message 210 (eg, a PUAN message 210) has been received by the wireless device 1042. The third acknowledgment message 212 is repeated multiple times (N ^tx , ^ul ) by wireless device 1042 in accordance with UL coverage class. The other wireless device 1041, 1043 ...

104n can also be similarly configured to perform method 500.

Referring to Figure 6, a block diagram is shown illustrating the structures of an exemplary wireless device 1042 (for example) configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, wireless device 1042 may comprise a first transmitter module 602, a first receive module 604, a second transmit module 606, a second receive module 608, a third transmit module 610, a third receive module 612 and a fourth transmission module 614. Wireless device 1042 may also include other components, modules, or structures that are well known, but, for clarity, only the components, modules, or structures necessary to describe the features of the present disclosure are described herein.

The first transmission module 602 is configured to transmit one or more repeats of an access request message 204 (for example, a small data request message 204) to the RAN node 1022 (for example) (see step 1 of Figure 2 for additional details). Access request message 204 may comprise: (a) an indication of a number of data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x that wireless device 1042 intends to transmit to RAN node 1022; and (b) an indication (N ^tx , ^dl ) of a DL coverage class estimated by wireless device 1042. The number of repetitions of access request message 204 is based on the UL coverage class.

The first receive module 604 is configured to receive one or more repeats of an uplink assignment message 206 from RAN node 1022 (see step 2 of Figure 2 for additional details). The uplink allocation message 206 may comprise: (a) an indication of a number of previously allocated radio blocks on a packet data traffic channel; (b) an indication (N ^tx , ^ul ) of a UL coverage class; and (c) an indication of a starting point of the previously assigned radio blocks that wireless device 1042 will use to transmit a first data block 2021 (for example) from data blocks 2021, 2022 .. 202x that wireless device 1042 intends to transmit to RAN node 1022; (d): an indication (N ^tx , ^dl ) of a DL coverage class; and (e) an indication of the starting points of the remaining previously assigned radio blocks that the wireless device 1042 will use to transmit the remaining data blocks 2022 ... 202x (for example) from the data blocks 2021, 2022 ... .202x that wireless device 1042 intends to transmit to RAN node 1022. The number of repetitions of the uplink allocation message 206 is based on the DL coverage class. As discussed above, previously assigned radio blocks are assigned by RAN node 1022 so that (1) all repeats of each of data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x are transmitted contiguously to each other by wireless device 1042, and (2) the previously assigned radio blocks are allocated such that not all data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x need to be transmitted contiguously to each other by wireless device 1042.

The second transmitter module 606 is configured to transmit data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x that were indicated in RAN node 1022 access request message 204 (see step 3 of figure 2 for additional details - note : Wireless device 1042 in this example transmits all 2021, 2022 ... 202x data blocks, and ideally RAN node 1022 would receive all 2021, 2022 ... 202x data blocks, but in this example node RAN 1022 does not receive data blocks 2023, 2025, and 20210). The 1042 Wireless Device transmits data blocks 202i, 2022 ... 202x in the previously assigned radio blocks. In addition, each of the transmitted data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x would have been repeated multiple times (N ^tx , ^ul ) by wireless device 1042 in accordance with the UL coverage class.

The second receive module 608 is configured to receive one or more repeats of a first acknowledgment message 208 (eg, a PUAN message 208) from the RAN node 1022 (see step 4 of FIG. 2 for details. additional). The first acknowledgment message 208 comprises: (a) a first bitmap indicating the portion of the number of data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x that the RAN node 1022 has received and a remaining portion of the number of data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x that have not been received by RAN node 1022 (note: in this example, RAN node 1022 did not receive data blocks 2023, 2025, and 20210); (b) an indication of another number of previously allocated radio blocks in the packet data traffic channel that wireless device 1042 will use to transmit the remaining portion of the number of data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x , which in this example are data blocks 2023, 2025 and 20210; and (c) an indication of a DL coverage class (N ^tx , ^dl ). The number of repetitions of the first acknowledgment message 208 is based on the DL coverage class.

The third transmission module 610 is configured to transmit the remaining portion of the number of data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x, which in this example are data blocks 2023, 2025 and 20210, to RAN node 1022 (see step 5 of figure 2 for additional details). RAN node 1022 would receive the remaining portion of the number of data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x of the previously allocated radio blocks indicated by the first acknowledgment message 208. Furthermore, each of the received data blocks 2023, 2025, and 20210 would have been repeated multiple times (N ^tx , ^ul ) by wireless device 1042 in accordance with the UL coverage class.

The third receive module 612, which is configured to receive, receives one or more repeats of a second acknowledgment message 210 (eg, a PUAN message 210) from the RAN node 1022 (see step 7 of the Figure 2 for additional details). The second acknowledgment message 210 comprises a second bitmap, indicating that all data blocks 2021, 2022 ... 202x have been received by RAN node 1022, and a final acknowledgment indicator (FAI ) indicating compliance of the uplink transmission. The number of repetitions of the second acknowledgment message 210 is based on the DL coverage class.

The fourth transmission module 614 is configured to transmit one or more repeats of a third acknowledgment message 212 (eg, a packet control acknowledgment message 212) to the RAN node 1022 (see step 8). Figure 2 for additional details). The third acknowledgment message 212 comprises an indication that the second acknowledgment message 210 (eg, a PUAN message 210) has been received by the wireless device 1042. The third acknowledgment message 212 is repeated multiple times (N ^tx , ^ul ) by wireless device 1042 in accordance with UL coverage class.

As one skilled in the art will appreciate, the modules 602, 604, 606, 608, 610, 612, and 614 described above of wireless device 1042 (eg, MS 1042) can be implanted separately as suitable dedicated circuits. Furthermore, modules 602, 604, 606, 608, 610, 612 and 614 can also be implanted using any number of dedicated circuits through separation or functional combination. In some embodiments, modules 602, 604, 606, 608, 610, 612, and 614 can even be combined into a single application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). As an alternative software-based implementation, wireless device 1042 may comprise memory 1202, processor 1182 (including, but not limited to, a microprocessor, microcontroller, or digital signal processor (DSP), etc.) and a transceiver 1102. Memory 1202 stores the machine-readable program code executable by processor 1182 to cause wireless device 1042 to perform the steps of method 500 described above. It should be appreciated that the other wireless devices 1041, 1043 ... 104n can also be configured similarly to wireless device 1042 to perform method 500.

Flexible downlink allocation technique

The flexible downlink allocation technique (FDA) is used in the downlink of an EC-PDTCH when the RAN node 1022 (eg BSS 1022) transmits to the wireless device 1042 (eg) an allocation 720 message downlink indicating the earliest possible starting point at which the wireless device 1042 will start looking for the possible arrival of blocks 7021, 7022, 7023 ...

702x RLC (downlink payload) DL data on DL EC-PDTCH resources that have been allocated to wireless device 1042, as briefly described below and then described in more detail with respect to Figures 7- 16.

- A feature of the FDA technique is that the wireless device 1042 is told to wait, in the downlink allocation message 718 (for example, an EC-AGCH resource allocation message 718), a variable amount of DL 7021, 7022, 7023 ... 702x ^r L ^c data blocks in up to 4 time windows, where each RLC 7021, 7022, 7023 ... 702x data block is repeated according to a value for N ^tx , indicated ^dl by the downlink allocation message 720.

- RAN node 1022 (for example, BSS 1022) transmits all repetitions of a specific RLC data block 7021, 7022, 7023 ... 702x contiguously, but does not need to transmit all RLC data blocks 7021, 7022, 7023 ... 702x contiguous with each other. As such, the wireless device 1042 will not know the precise starting point of any of the RLC data blocks 7021, 7022, 7023 ... 702x after receiving the downlink assignment message 720 (other than knowing that the blocks RLC 7021, 7022, 7023 ... 702x data will be transmitted according to the N ^tx , ^{dl value} of wireless device 1042), but you will know that each RLC 7021, 7022, 7023 ... 702x data block will be sent by RAN node 1022 (eg B ^s S 1022) using contiguous radio blocks.

- The point at which the wireless device 1042 stops trying to receive the RLC data blocks 7021, 7022, 7023 ... 702x is determined according to when the wireless device 1042 is polled to send a 720 message of Packet Downlink Ack / Nack (PDAN) on the UL EC-PACCH. In other words, the number of additional RLC data blocks 7021, 7022, 7023 ... 702x that wireless device 1042 receives after receiving the first RLC data block 7021 (for example) is variable, but any additional blocks 7022, 7023 ... 702x RLC data must arrive before wireless device 1042 is probed to send PDAN message 720 (i.e. wireless device 1042 will not search for additional DL RLC data blocks 7022, 7023 ... 702x while the transmission of the PDAN 720 message is completed).

- When searching for the first radio block used to send any RLC data block 7021, 7022, 7023 ... 702x, wireless device 1042 examines fixed sets of EC-PDTCH blocks based on the N ^tx , ^{dl value} . For example, if wireless device 1042 uses N ^tx , ^dl = 2 (i.e. 2 blind repeats), then it will only look at fixed pairs of EC-PDTCH blocks in an attempt to receive a RLC data block 7021, 7022 , 7023 ... 702x. As such, wireless device 1042 will view each multiple frame 52 on a monitored TS as potentially containing 6 pairs of EC-PDTCH blocks, where any one of these pairs may potentially contain an expected RLC data block 7021, 7022, 7023 .. .702x.

An exemplary sequence of signaling steps associated with the FDA technique is illustrated in Figure 7 and described in detail below with respect to a scenario in which RAN node 1022 has small data transmissions to transmit to wireless device 1042. (eg, to IoT device 1042) that has an uplink coverage class that needs N ^tx repeats, ^ul , and a downlink coverage class that needs N ^tx repeats, ^dl . The exemplary signaling steps associated with wireless device 1042 that receives small data transmissions from RAN node 1022 are as follows:

Step 1: CN node 107 (eg SGSN 107) receives some downlink payload 716 (eg IP packet) for wireless device 1042, and acts on payload 716 transmitting to node 1022 RAN (eg BSS 1022) a paging request message 704 indicating the identity of the international mobile subscriber (IMSI), the length of the extended discontinuous reception (eDRX) cycle and the N ^tx , ^dl of the wireless device 1042 , where the reported N ^tx , ^dl is based on the DL coverage class last reported by wireless device 1042 (for example, within a Routing Area Update Request (RAU) message).

Step 2: RAN node 1022 (for example, BSS 1022) transmits one or more repeats of a page message 706 on the Ec paging channel (PCH) to wireless device 1042 using the nominal paging group of the wireless device 1042. RAN node 1022 (eg BSS 1022) can determine the nominal paging group of wireless device 1042 using the IMSI, the eDRX cycle length, the number of EC-PCH blocks per multiple frame of 51 and the N ^tx , ^dl of the wireless device 1042 as follows: - Each eDRX cycle consists of multiple Y 51 frames subject to the restriction that each eDRX cycle must occur an integer number of times within the total frame number space Time Division Multiple Access (FN) (TDMA).

- The number of paging groups per eDRX cycle is determined based on coverage class, where RAN node 1022 (for example, BSS 1022) first determines the nominal paging group of wireless device 1042 assuming that N ^tx , ^dl = 1, which effectively determines a 51 multi-frame window at which wireless device 1042 will activate to attempt to read according to its actual paging nominal group.

- The specific EC-PCH blocks that the wireless device 1042 considers to be its nominal paging group within the four multi-frame windows of 51 are determined based on the DL coverage class last indicated by the wireless device 1042.

Step 3: Wireless device 1042 transmits one or more occurrences of an access request message 708 on the EC-RACH to the RAN node 1022 (eg BSS 1022). Access request message 708 requests resources to send a page response message 712 (see step 5). The number of repeats used to transmit the access request message 708 is based on the estimated coverage class of UL NTX, UL of wireless device 1042 (wireless device 1042 always uses a single repeat in normal coverage). Access request message 708 can be configured as follows:

- The information that wireless device 1042 may include within access request message 708 is indicated in Table 2 and is discussed in more detail below:

- The TSC uses an indication of whether or not the wireless device 1042 supports MCS-5 through MCS-9 when it transmits the access request message 708 according to the legacy function.

- The access request message 708 that is transmitted in the EC-RACH includes an indication of the DL coverage class estimated by the wireless device 1042.

- The system information (SI) sent in TS1 indicates that if a wireless 1042 device (for example) is in normal coverage (N ^tx , ^ul = N ^tx , ^dl = 1), then it will access the system using the RACH of TS0 or the RACH of TS1. Note: System information could be transmitted by RAN node 1022 before RAN node 1022 transmits page message 706.

Table 2: Contents of Access Request Message 708

Step 4: RAN node 1022 (eg, BSS 1022) transmits one or more repetitions of an uplink assignment message 710 on the EC-AGCH to wireless device 1042. The number of repetitions used by node 1022 of RAN (for example, BSS 1022) when the uplink allocation message 710 is transmitted is indicated by the value N ^tx , ^dl included in the page response request message 708. The uplink assignment message 710 includes the same assignment information as that of the uplink assignment message 206 described above with respect to step 2 of Figure 2 of the fixed uplink assignment technique, but for the case in which X = 1.

Step 5: Similar to step 3 of Figure 2 of the fixed uplink allocation technique, a HARQ scheme is used by wireless device 1042 to transmit to the RAN node 1022 the uplink payload (for example, a page response message 712 consisting of a dummy LLC PDU) using previously allocated U ^l radio blocks of N ^tx , ^ul , in which, after transmitting the uplink payload (page 712 response), the wireless device 1042 waits for a corresponding PUAN message 714 Step 6: RAN node 1022 (for example, BSS 1022) transmits PUAN message 714 after trying to receive the previously assigned U ^l radio blocks from N ^tx , ^ul (page response 712) from wireless device 1042. After transmitting page response 712, wireless device 1042 attempts to receive PUAN message 714 starting within the first possible set of EC-PACCH blocks. corresponding to the DL coverage class assigned to the wireless device 1042, according to step 4 of figure 2 of the fixed uplink allocation technique and set out below:

- After receiving the PUAN message 714, the wireless device 1042 releases the UL Temporary Block Flow (TBF) resources, enters the EC deactivated state, where the wireless device 1042 then monitors the EC-AGCH using a cycle of DRX short (for example, depending on legacy) waiting for a DL TBF resource allocation message 718.

- Alternatively, PUAN message 714 may include a DL TBF 715 resource allocation message, and an indication where wireless device 1042 should start looking for RLC data blocks 7021, 7022, 7023 ...

702x about it according to a DRX cycle after first waiting a certain period of time (for example, as indicates information within PUAN message 714). This technique will prevent the wireless device 1042 from having to receive an additional EC-AGCH message 718. This technique is discussed in detail below with respect to Figures 12-16.

Step 7: RAN node 1022 (eg, BSS 1022) transmits a paging response message 713 (eg, dummy LLC PDU) to CN node 107 (eg, SGSN 107).

Step 8: CN node 107 (eg SGSN 107) transmits a PDU that includes the downlink user plane pending payload 716 for RAN node 1022 (eg BSS 1022) from which CN node 107 (eg SGSN 107) received paging response message 713.

Step 9: RAN node 1022 (for example, BSS 1022) unmount the PDU, including downlink user plane pending payload 716 in one or more RLC data blocks 7021, 7022, 7023 ... Suitable 702x to transmit to wireless device 1042 through radio interface.

Step 10: RAN node 1022 (eg, BSS 1022) transmits one or more repeats of a downlink allocation message 718 in the EC-AGCH to wireless device 1042. The number of repetitions of the 718 allocation message downlink is determined using the downlink coverage class N ^tx , ^dl that was last received by RAN node 1022 (eg BSS 1022). The downlink assignment message 718 has the following characteristics:

- downlink allocation message 718 indicates EC-PDTCH DL allocated resources (eg time windows), an optional indication of when wireless device 1042 should start looking for the first of DL RLC data blocks 7021 (for example, expressed as an offset relative to where the downlink assignment message 718 is received), the UL N ^tx coverage class, ^ul to be used, and the DL N ^tx coverage class , ^dl to be used on the set of assigned temporary windows.

Step 11: RAN node 1022 (for example, BSS 1022) uses a HARQ scheme to transmit downlink 716 payload to wireless device 1042 (RLC data blocks 7021, 7022, 7023 ... 702x) . Wireless device 1042 may be polled for a PDAN message 720 within one or more of the variable number of RLC data blocks 7021, 7022, 7023 ... 702x transmitted to wireless device 1042 prior to the point in time at which it going to transmit the 720 PDAN message. The following is an exposition on how the wireless device 1042 can work to receive the RLC 7021, 7022, 7023 ... 702x data blocks: - When trying to find a DL 7021 RLC data block (for example), the wireless device 1042 examines fixed sets of EC-PDTCH blocks based on the coverage class of wireless device 1042. For example, if wireless device 1042 uses N ^tx , ^dl = 2 (ie 2 blind repeats), then it will only look Fixed pairs of EC-PDTCH blocks in an attempt to receive a RLC 7021 data block (for example) towards the assigned TFI of the wireless device 1042 in the assigned time windows of the wireless device 1042. As such, the wireless device 1042 will see each multiple frame of 52 on a monitored TS potentially containing 6 pairs of EC-PDTCH blocks, where any one of these pairs may potentially contain an expected RLC 7021 data block.

- If the RLC 7021 data block is not received within an applicable EC-PDTCH block set, then wireless device 1042 will continue to read additional EC-PDTCH block sets applicable to the device's downlink coverage class wireless 1042.

- For example, if the downlink 716 payload transmission consists of 5 RLC MCS-1 data blocks (X = 5) and the N ^tx , ^dl indicates that 8 repeats are needed, then a total of 40 radio blocks (X * N ^tx , ^dl ) need to be transmitted. These 40 radio blocks will be transmitted using 5 instances of 8 contiguous radio blocks over the set of assigned time windows. The period of time between transmissions of any two successive RLC data blocks (i.e. between instances of 8 contiguous radio blocks) is variable, although downlink allocation message 718 may optionally indicate what this period of time in the interest of battery conservation of the wireless device 1042.

- Probing can be done by including a probe field within a set of one or more RLC 7021, 7022, 7023 ... 702x data blocks, where the probe field in each RLC 7021, 7022, 7023 data block ... 702x indicates the same point in time at which the wireless device 1042 is to transmit a PDAN message 720 on the UL EC-PACCH to the RAN node 1022 (for example, BSS 1022).

Step 12: The wireless device 1042 transmits the PDAN message 720 on the UL EC-PACCH to the RAN node 1022 (for example, BSS 1022), where the location of the first pre-assigned UL EC-PACCH block used to transmit the PDAN message 720 is indicated by the polling information included in one or more of the RLC data blocks 7021, 7022, 7023 ... 702x transmitted to the wireless device 1042. The following is a more detailed discussion of the transmission and reception of PDAN message 720:

- The location of the first UL EC-PACCH block used to transmit the PDAN message 720 can be expressed as an offset relative to the DL 7021 RLC data block (for example) from which the probe information was read.

- Alternatively, if the downlink allocation information indicates that a specific number of DL 7021, 7022, 7023 ... 702x RLC data blocks are to be transmitted contiguously before polling, after receiving the last DL radio block 702x used to transmit the data blocks RLC D ^l 7021, 7022, 7023 ... 702x, the wireless device 1042 may transmit the message 720 using a displacement PDAN (eg fixed or indicated by downlink assignment message 718) from the last DL 702x radio block to determine where to start transmitting the PDAN message 720. This same principle can be used when the wireless device 1042 has sent a 720 PDAN message stating that one or more DL 7022 RLC data blocks (for example) need to be forwarded (i.e. the wireless device 1042 will wait for all forwarded DL RC data blocks, 7022 (for example), are transmitted contiguously and will therefore determine where to transmit the corresponding PDAN message 720). - The adjoining radio blocks of N ^tx , ^ul are pre-allocated for transmission of the PDAN message 720. - If RAN node 1022 (eg BSS 1022) does not receive PDAN message 720 within previously assigned UL radio blocks, then RAN node 1022 (eg BSS 1022) can forward a DL 7021 RLC data block (for example) that includes probe information (a repeated probe).

- As such, after the wireless device 1042 receives a DL 702x RLC data block (for example), which includes probe information and transmits the corresponding PDAN message indicating that all DL RLC data blocks 7021, 7022, 7023 ... 702x have been received, the wireless device 1042 should wait a limited amount of time (for example, indicated by the allocation message 718) and then start searching for possible reception of a data block previously received from RLC of DL 7021 (for example) which includes probe information. This allows for the case where RAN node 1022 does not receive PDAN message 720 sent by wireless device 1042 in response to repeated polling.

- If the wireless device 1042 is re-polled within this limited time window, the wireless device 1042 should transmit another 720 PDAN message using the specific set of N ^tx radio blocks, ^ul previously allocated as indicated in the poll repeated. Otherwise, the wireless device 1042 should release the TBF from DL and enter the EC disabled state.

- When the PDAN message 720 is transmitted indicating that one or more DL 7022 RLC data blocks (for example) have not been received, the wireless device 1042 should continue to monitor the allocated DL PDTCH resources for reception of the missing RLC data blocks 7022 (for example) and then proceed, according to step 11.

Referring to Figure 8, a flowchart of a method 800 implanted in a RAN node 1022 is shown (for example) in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. In step 802, RAN node 1022 receives paging request message 704 from CN node 107. Paging request message 704 is associated with wireless device 1042 (for example) (see step 1 of FIG. 7 for additional details).

In step 804, RAN node 1022 transmits one or more repeats of page message 706 to wireless device 1042 (see step 2 of FIG. 7 for additional details). The number of repetitions of message page 706 is based on the coverage class of DL N ^tx , ^dl .

In step 806, the RAN node 1022 receives one or more repeats of the access request message 708 from the wireless device 1042 (see step 3 of FIG. 7 for additional details). Access request message 708 requests resources to send a page response message 712 and includes an indication (N ^tx , ^dl ) of a DL coverage class. The number of repetitions (N ^tx , ^ul ) of access request message 708 is based on the UL coverage class.

In step 808, the RAN node 1022 transmits one or more repeats of the uplink assignment message 712 to the wireless device 1042 (see step 4 of Figure 7 for additional details). The uplink allocation message 712 may comprise: (a) an indication of a number of previously allocated radio blocks on a packet data traffic channel; (b) an indication (N ^tx , ^ul ) of a UL coverage class; (c) an indication (N ^tx , ^dl ) of a DL coverage class; and (d) an indication of when wireless device 1042 should start looking for a first data block 7021 (for example) from RAN node 1022. The number of repetitions of the uplink allocation message 712 is based on the DL coverage class.

In step 810, the RAN node 1022 receives one or more repetitions of the page response message 712 from the wireless device 1042 (see step 5 of figure 7 for additional details). Page response message 712 may comprise: uplink payload (eg, dummy LLC PDU), where the uplink payload is received on previously allocated radio blocks. Page response message 712 repeats according to UL coverage class.

In step 812, the RAN node 1022 transmits one or more repeats of the first acknowledgment message 714 (eg, a PUAN message 714) to the wireless device 1042 (see step 6 of Figure 7 for additional details) . The first acknowledgment message 714 may comprise: a first bitmap indicating receipt of the page response message 712 by the RAN node 1022 and a final acknowledgment indicator (FAI) indicating compliance with the uplink transmission. The number of repetitions of the first acknowledgment message 714 is based on the DL coverage class.

In step 814, RAN node 1022 transmits paging response message 713 to CN node 107 (see step 7 of Figure 7 for additional details).

In step 816, the RAN node 1022 receives a PDU that includes the downlink payload 716 from the CN node 107 (see step 8 of Figure 7 for additional details).

In step 818, the RAN node 1022 dismounts the PDU including the downlink payload 716 into one or more data blocks 7021, 7022 ... 702x appropriate for transmission to wireless device 1042 over the radio interface ( see step 9 of figure 7 for additional details).

In step 820, the RAN node 1022 transmits one or more repetitions of the downlink assignment message 718 to the wireless device 1042 (see step 10 of FIG. 7 for additional details). The downlink allocation message 718 may comprise: (a) an indication of the allocated DL resources on the packet data traffic channel; (b) an indication (NTX, DL) of a DL coverage class; and (c) an indication of when wireless device 1042 should start looking for a first data block 7021 (for example) from RAN node 1022. The number of repetitions of the downlink allocation message 718 is based on the DL coverage class.

In step 822, the RAN node 1022 transmits to the wireless device 1042 one or more repetitions of each of the data blocks 7021, 7022 ... 702x using the allocated DL resources (see step 11 of Figure 7 for additional details). The number of repetitions of each of the data blocks 7021, 7022 ... 702x is based on the DL coverage class. Also, all repeats of each of the 7021, 7022 ... 702x data blocks are transmitted contiguously to the wireless device 1042, and it is not necessary that all of the 7021, 7022 ... 702x data blocks be transmitted in adjacent to the 1042 wireless device.

In step 824, the RAN node 1022 receives one or more repeats of the second acknowledgment message 720 (eg, a PDAN message 720) from the wireless device 1042 (see step 12 of FIG. 7 for additional details. ). The second acknowledgment message 720 comprises: a second bitmap indicating receipt of data blocks 7021, 7022 ... 702x by wireless device 1042. The number of repetitions of the second acknowledgment message 720 is based on UL coverage class. The other RAN node 1021 can also be similarly configured to perform method 800.

Referring to FIG. 9, a block diagram is shown illustrating the structures of an exemplary RAN node 1022 (eg) configured in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, the RAN node 1022 may comprise a first receiver module 902, a first transmitter module 904, a second receiver module 906, a second transmitter module 908, a third receiver module 910, a third transmitter module 912, a fourth module transmitter 914, a fourth receiver module 916, a teardown module 918, a fifth transmitter module 920, a sixth transmitter module 922, and a fifth receiver module 924. RAN node 1022 may also include other components, modules, or structures that are either Known, but, for clarity, only the components, modules, or structures necessary to describe the features of the present disclosure are described herein.

The first receiver module 902 can be configured to receive the paging request message 704 from the CN node 107. Paging request message 704 is associated with wireless device 1042 (for example) (see step 1 of FIG. 7 for additional details).

The first transmitter module 904 can be configured to transmit one or more repeats of page message 706 to wireless device 1042 (see step 2 of FIG. 7 for additional details). The number of repeats (NTX, DL) in message page 706 is based on the DL coverage class.

The second receiver module 906 can be configured to receive one or more repeats of the access request message 708 from the wireless device 1042 (see step 3 of Figure 7 for additional details). Access request message 708 requests resources to send a page response message 712 and includes an indication (NTX, DL) of a DL coverage class. The number of repetitions (NTX, UL) of message 708 of Access request is based on UL coverage class.

The second transmitter module 908 can be configured to transmit one or more repeats of the uplink assignment message 712 to the wireless device 1042 (see step 4 of FIG. 7 for additional details). The uplink allocation message 712 may comprise: (a) an indication of a number of previously allocated radio blocks on a packet data traffic channel; (b) an indication (N ^tx , ^ul ) of a UL coverage class; (c) an indication (N ^tx , ^dl ) of a DL coverage class; and (d) an indication of when wireless device 1042 should start looking for a first data block 7021 (for example) from RAN node 1022. The number of repetitions of the uplink allocation message 712 is based on the DL coverage class.

The third receiver module 910 can be configured to receive one or more repeats of the page response message 712 from the wireless device 1042 (see step 5 of FIG. 7 for additional details). Page response message 712 may comprise: uplink payload (eg, dummy LLC PDU), where the uplink payload is received on previously allocated radio blocks. Page response message 712 repeats according to UL coverage class.

The third transmit module 912 can be configured to transmit one or more repeats of the first acknowledgment message 714 (eg, a PUAN message 714) to the wireless device 1042 (see step 6 of Figure 7 for additional details) . The first acknowledgment message 714 may comprise: a first bitmap indicating receipt of the page response message 712 by the RAN node 1022 and a final acknowledgment indicator (Fa I) indicating compliance with uplink transmission. The number of repetitions of the first acknowledgment message 714 is based on the DL coverage class.

The fourth transmitter module 914 can be configured to transmit the paging response message 713 to the CN node 107 (see step 7 of FIG. 7 for further details).

The fourth receiver module 916 can be configured to receive a PDU that includes the downlink payload 716 from the CN node 107 (see step 8 of Figure 7 for additional details).

The unmount module 918 can be configured to unmount the PDU by including the downlink payload 716 in one or more data blocks 7021, 7022 ... 702x appropriate to transmit to the wireless device 1042 via the radio interface (see step 9 of figure 7 for additional details).

The fifth transmitter module 920 can be configured to transmit one or more repetitions of the downlink assignment message 718 to the wireless device 1042 (see step 10 of FIG. 7 for additional details). The downlink allocation message 718 may comprise: (a) an indication of the allocated DL resources on the packet data traffic channel; (b) an indication (N ^tx , ^dl ) of a DL coverage class; and (c) an indication of when wireless device 1042 should start looking for a first data block 7021 (for example) from RAN node 1022. The number of repetitions of the downlink allocation message 718 is based on the DL coverage class.

The sixth transmitter module 922 can be configured to transmit to the wireless device 1042 one or more repetitions of each of the data blocks 7021, 7022 ... 702x using the allocated DL resources (see step 11 of Figure 7 for details. additional). The number of repetitions of each of the data blocks 7021, 7022 ... 702x is based on the DL coverage class. Also, all repeats of each of the 7021, 7022 ... 702x data blocks are transmitted contiguously to the wireless device 1042, and it is not necessary that all of the 7021, 7022 ... 702x data blocks be transmitted in adjacent to the 1042 wireless device.

The fifth receiver module 924 can be configured to receive one or more repeats of the second acknowledgment message 720 (eg, a PDAN message 720) from the wireless device 1042 (see step 12 of FIG. 7 for additional details) . The second acknowledgment message 720 comprises: a second bitmap indicating receipt of data blocks 7021, 7022 ... 702x by wireless device 1042. The number of repetitions of the second acknowledgment message 720 is based on UL coverage class. The other RAN 1021 node can also be similarly configured to perform method 800.

As one skilled in the art will appreciate, the 902, 904, 906, 908, 910, 912, 914, 916, 918, 920, 922 and 924 modules of the RAN 1022 node (eg BSS 1022) described above can be implanted separately as suitable dedicated circuits. Additionally, modules 902, 904, 906, 908, 910, 912, 914, 916, 918, 920, 922, and 924 can also be implanted using any number of dedicated circuits through separation or functional combination. In some embodiments, modules 902, 904, 906, 908, 910, 912, 914, 916, 918, 920, 922, and 924 can even be combined into a single application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). As an alternative software-based implementation, RAN node 1022 (eg, BSS 1022) may comprise memory 1342, processor 1322 (including, but not limited to, a microprocessor, microcontroller, or digital signal processor (DSP), etc.) and a transceiver 1222. Memory 1342 stores the Machine-readable program code executable by processor 1322 to cause the RAN node 1022 (for example, BSS 1022) to perform the steps of method 800 described above. It should be appreciated that the other RAN node 1021 can also be configured similarly to RAN node 1022 to perform method 800. Referring to Figure 10, a flowchart of method 1000 implanted in a wireless device 1042 is shown. (for example) in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. In step 1002, wireless device 1042 receives one or more repeats of paging message 706 from RAN node 1022 (see step 2 of Figure 7 for additional details). The number of repeats for page 706 message is based on the DL NTX coverage class, DL.

In step 1004, wireless device 1042 transmits one or more repeats of access request message 708 to RAN node 1022 (see step 3 of Figure 7 for additional details). Access request message 708 requests resources to send a page response message 712 and includes an indication (N ^tx , ^dl ) of a DL coverage class. The number of occurrences of access request message 708 is based on the UL coverage class.

In step 1006, wireless device 1042 receives one or more repeats of uplink assignment message 710 from RAN node 1022 (see step 4 of Figure 7 for additional details). The uplink allocation message 710 may comprise: (a) an indication of a number of previously allocated radio blocks on a packet data traffic channel; (b) an indication (N ^tx , ^ul ) of a UL coverage class; (c) an indication (N ^tx , ^dl ) of a DL coverage class; and (d) an indication of a starting point of the previously assigned radio blocks that the wireless device 1042 will use to transmit the page response message 712 to the RAN node 1022. The number of repetitions of the uplink allocation message 710 is based on the DL coverage class.

In step 1008, wireless device 1042 transmits one or more repeats of page response message 712 to RAN node 1022 (see Figure 7 of step 5 for additional details). Page response message 712 may comprise: uplink payload (eg, dummy LLC PDU), where the uplink payload is transmitted on previously allocated radio blocks. Page response message 712 repeats according to UL coverage class.

In step 1010, wireless device 1042 receives one or more repeats of the first acknowledgment message 714 (for example, a PUAN message 714) from RAN node 1022 (see step 7 of FIG. 7 for additional details). The first acknowledgment message 714 may comprise: a first bitmap indicating receipt of the page response message 712 by the RAN node 1022. The number of repetitions of the first acknowledgment message 714 is based on the DL coverage class.

In step 1012, wireless device 1042 receives one or more repetitions of downlink assignment message 718 from RAN node 1022 (see step 10 of Figure 7 for additional details). The downlink allocation message 718 may comprise: (a) an indication of the allocated DL resources on the packet data traffic channel; (b) an indication (N ^tx , ^dl ) of a DL coverage class; and (c) an indication of when wireless device 1042 should start looking for a first data block 7021 (for example) from RAN node 1022. The number of repetitions of the downlink allocation message 718 is based on the DL coverage class.

In step 1014, wireless device 1042 receives from RAN node 1022 one or more repeats of each of data blocks 7021, 7022 ... 702x using allocated DL resources (see step 11 of FIG. 7 for additional details). The number of repetitions of each of the data blocks 7021, 7022 ... 702x is based on the DL coverage class. Furthermore, all repeats of each of the 7021, 7022 ... 702x data blocks are received contiguously by the wireless device 1042, and not all of the 7021, 7022 ... 702x data blocks need to be received so next to each other on the 1042 wireless device.

In step 1016, wireless device 1042 transmits one or more repeats of the second acknowledgment message 720 (for example, a PDAN message 720) to the RAN node 1022 (see step 12 of Figure 7 for additional details) . The second acknowledgment message 720 comprises: a second bitmap indicating receipt of data blocks 7021, 7022 ... 702x by wireless device 1042. The number of repetitions of the second acknowledgment message 720 is based on UL coverage class. The other 1041, 1043 .. 104n wireless devices can also be configured similarly to perform method 1000.

Referring to Figure 11, a block diagram is shown illustrating the structures of an exemplary wireless device 1042 (for example) configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, wireless device 1042 may comprise a first receiver module 1102, a first transmitter module 1104, a second receiver module 1106, a second transmitter module 1108, a third receiver module 1110, a fourth receiver module 1112, a fifth receiver module 114, and a third transmitter module 1116. Wireless device 1042 may also include other components, modules, or structures that are either Known, but, for clarity, only the components, modules, or structures necessary to describe the characteristics of the present disclosure are described in this document.

The first receiver module 1102 can be configured to receive one or more repeats of the RAN node 1022 page message 706 (see step 2 of Figure 7 for additional details). The number of repeats for page 706 message is based on the DL coverage class.

The first transmitter module 1104 can be configured to transmit one or more repeats of access request message 708 to RAN node 1022 (see step 3 of Figure 7 for additional details). Access request message 708 requests resources to send a page response message 712 and includes an indication (NTX, DL) of a DL coverage class. The number of occurrences of access request message 708 is based on the UL coverage class.

The second receiver module 1106 can be configured to receive one or more repetitions of the uplink assignment message 710 from the RAN node 1022 (see step 4 of Figure 7 for additional details). The uplink allocation message 710 may comprise: (a) an indication of a number of previously allocated radio blocks on a packet data traffic channel; (b) an indication (NTX, UL) of a UL coverage class; (c) an indication (NTX, DL) of a DL coverage class; and (d) an indication of a starting point of the previously assigned radio blocks that the wireless device 1042 will use to transmit the page response message 712 to the RAN node 1022. The number of repetitions of the uplink allocation message 710 is based on the DL coverage class. The second transmitter module 1108 can be configured to transmit one or more repetitions of the page response message 712 to node 1022 of ^r A ⁿ (see step 5 of FIG. 7 for further details). Page response message 712 may comprise: uplink payload (eg, dummy LLC PDU), where the uplink payload is transmitted on previously allocated radio blocks. Page response message 712 repeats according to UL coverage class.

The third receiver module 1110 can be configured to receive one or more repeats of the first acknowledgment message 714 (eg, a PUAN message 714) from the RAN node 1022 (see step 6 of Figure 7 for additional details. ). The first acknowledgment message 714 may comprise: a first bitmap indicating receipt of the page response message 712 by the RAN node 1022. The number of repetitions of the first acknowledgment message 714 is based on the DL coverage class.

The fourth receiver module 1112 can be configured to receive one or more repetitions of the downlink assignment message 718 from the RAN node 1022 (see step 10 of Figure 7 for additional details). The downlink allocation message 718 may comprise: (a) an indication of the allocated DL resources on the packet data traffic channel; (b) an indication (NTX, DL) of a DL coverage class; and (c) an indication of when wireless device 1042 should start looking for a first data block 7021 (for example) from RAN node 1022. The number of repetitions of the downlink allocation message 718 is based on the DL coverage class.

The fifth receiver module 1114 can be configured to receive from the RAN node 1022 one or more repetitions of each of the data blocks 7021, 7022 ... 702x using the allocated DL resources (see step 11 of Figure 7 for additional details). The number of repetitions of each of the data blocks 7021, 7022 ...

702x is based on DL coverage class. Furthermore, all repeats of each of the 7021, 7022 ... 702x data blocks are received contiguously by the wireless device 1042, and not all of the 7021, 7022 ... 702x data blocks need to be received so contiguous to each other in wireless device 1042. The third transmitter module 1116 can be configured to transmit one or more repeats of the second acknowledgment message 720 (eg, a PDAN message 720) to the RAn node 1022 (see step 12 of Figure 7 for additional details). The second acknowledgment message 720 comprises: a second bitmap indicating receipt of data blocks 7021, 7022 ... 702x by wireless device 1042. The number of repetitions of the second acknowledgment message 720 is based on UL coverage class. The other 1041, 1043 .. 104n wireless devices can also be configured similarly to perform method 1000.

As one skilled in the art will appreciate, the previously described modules 1102, 1104, 1106, 1108, 1110, 1112, 1114, and 1116 of wireless device 1042 (eg, MS 1042) can be implanted separately as suitable dedicated circuits. In addition, modules 1102, 1104, 1106, 1108, 1110, 1112, 1114, and 1116 can also be implanted using any number of dedicated circuits through a functional separation or combination. In some embodiments, modules 1102, 1104, 1106, 1108, 1110, 1112, 1114, and 1116 can even be combined into a single application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). As an alternative software-based implementation, wireless device 1042 may comprise memory 1202, a processor 1182 (including but not limited to a microprocessor, microcontroller, or digital signal processor (DSP), etc.) and a transceiver. 1102. Memory 1202 stores machine-readable program code executable by the processor II 82 to make wireless device 1042 perform the steps of method 1000 described above. It should be appreciated that the other wireless devices 1041, 1043 ... 104n can also be configured similarly to wireless device 1042 to perform method 1000.

Another exemplary sequence of signaling steps associated with the FDA technique is illustrated in Figure 12 and described in detail below with respect to another scenario where RAN node 1022 has small data transmissions to transmit to wireless device 1042 ( for example, IoT device 1042) that has an uplink coverage class that needs NTX repeats, UL, and a downlink coverage class that needs NTX repeats, DL. The exemplary signaling steps associated with wireless device 1042 that receives small data transmissions from RAN node 1022 are as follows:

Step 1: CN node 107 (eg SGSN 107) receives some downlink payload 1216 (eg, an IP packet) for wireless device 1042 and acts on payload 1216 by transmitting to node 1022 RAN (for example, BSS 1022) a paging request message 1204 indicating the identity of the international mobile subscriber (IMSI), the length of the discontinued receive cycle (eDRX) and the Ntx, dl of the wireless device 1042, where the indicated N ^tx , ^dl is based on the DL coverage class last indicated by the wireless device 1042 (for example, within a Routing Area Update Request (RAU) message)

Step 2: RAN node 1022 (for example, BSS 1022) transmits one or more repeats of a page 1206 message on the EC paging channel (PCH) to wireless device 1042 using the nominal paging group of the wireless device 1042. RAN node 1022 (eg, BSS 1022) can determine the nominal paging group of wireless device 1042 using IMSI, eDRX cycle length, number of EC-PCH blocks per multiple frame of 51 and the N ^tx , ^dl of the wireless device 1042 as follows: - Each eDRX cycle consists of multiple Y frames of 51 subject to the restriction that each eDRX cycle must occur an integer number of times within the total frame number space Time Division Multiple Access (FN) (TDMA).

- The number of paging groups per eDRX cycle is determined based on the coverage class, where the RAN node 1022 (for example, BSS 1022) first determines the nominal paging group of the wireless device 1042 assuming that Ntx, dl = 1, which effectively determines a window of four 51 multi-frames in which wireless device 1042 will wake up to try to read according to its actual paging nominal group.

- The specific EC-PCH blocks that the wireless device 1042 considers to be its nominal paging group within the four multi-frame windows of 51 are determined based on the DL coverage class last indicated by the wireless device 1042.

Step 3: Wireless device 1042 transmits one or more repeats of an access request message 1208 on EC-RAC ^h to RAN node 1022 (eg, BSS 1022). Access request message 1208 requests resources to send a page response message 1212 (see step 5). The number of repeats used to transmit the access request message 1208 is based on the estimated value of Ntx, ul of the UL coverage class of wireless device 1042 (wireless device 1042 always uses a single repeat in coverage normal). Access request message 1208 can be configured as follows:

- The information that the wireless device 1042 may include within the access request message 1208 is indicated in Table 2 and is analyzed in more detail below:

- The TSC uses an indication of whether or not the wireless device 1042 is compatible with MCS-5 through MCS-9 when it transmits the access request message 1208 according to the legacy function.

- The access request message 1208 that is transmitted in the EC-RACH includes an indication of the DL coverage class estimated by the wireless device 1042.

- The system information (SI) sent in TS1 indicates that if a wireless device 1042 (for example) is in normal coverage (Ntx, ul = Ntx, dl = 1), then it will access the system using the RACH of TS0 or the RACH of TS1. Note: System information could be transmitted by RAN node 1022 before RAN node 1022 transmitted page 1206 message.

Table 3: Content of the 1208 access request message

Step 4: RAN node 1022 (eg, BSS 1022) transmits one or more repetitions of an uplink allocation message 1210 on the EC-AGCH to wireless device 1042. The number of repetitions used by node 1022 of RAN (eg BSS 1022) when transmitting the uplink allocation message 1210 is indicated by the value N ^tx , ^dl included in the page response request message 1208. The uplink assignment message 1210 includes the same assignment information as for the uplink assignment message 206, as described above with respect to step 2 of Figure 2 of the fixed uplink assignment technique, but for the case where X = 1.

Step 5: Similar to step 3 of Figure 2 of the fixed uplink allocation technique, wireless device 1042 uses a HARQ scheme to transmit to the RAN node 1022 the uplink payload (for example, a page 1212 response consisting of a dummy LLC PDU) using pre-allocated Ul radio blocks of N ^tx , ^ul , where, after transmitting the uplink payload (page 1212 response), wireless device 1042 waits a corresponding PUAN message 1214. Step 6: RAN node 1022 (for example, BSS 1022) transmits PUAN message 1214 to wireless device 1042 after trying to receive previously assigned UL radio blocks from N ^tx , ^ul (page reply 1212) from wireless device 1042. After transmitting page response 1212, wireless device 1042 attempts to receive PUAN message 1214 starting within the first possible set of EC-PACCH blocks corresponding to the assigned DL coverage class of wireless device 1042 , according to step 4 of figure 2 of the fixed uplink assignment technique and as follows:

- The PUAN message 1214 includes a DL TBF resource allocation message 1215, which provides allocated DL EC-PDTCH resources (eg time windows) and an indication of where the wireless device 1042 should start looking for data blocks RLC 12021, 12022, 12023 ... 1202x about it according to a DRX cycle after first waiting a certain period of time (for example, as indicated by the information inside the PUAN message 1214). This technique will prevent the wireless device 1042 from having to receive an additional EC-AGCH 718 message as shown in Figure 7)

Step 7: RAN node 1022 (for example, BSS 1022) transmits a paging response message 1213 (for example, a dummy LLC PDU) to CN node 107 (for example, SGSN 107).

Step 8: CN node 107 (for example, SGSN 107) transmits a PDU, including pending payload 1216 from the downlink user plane, to RAN node 1022 (for example, BSS 1022) from the which CN node 107 (eg SGSN 107) received paging response message 1213.

Step 9: RAN node 1022 (for example, BSS 1022) unmounts the PDU, including the downlink user plane pending payload 1216, in one or more RLC data blocks 12021, 12022, 12023 .. . 1202x appropriate to transmit to the wireless device 1042 through the radio interface.

Step 10: RAN node 1022 (for example, BSS 1022) uses a HARQ scheme to transmit downlink payload 1216 (RLC data blocks 12021, 12022, 12023 ... 1202x) to wireless device 1042 Wireless device 1042 may be polled for a PDAN message 1220 within one or more of the variable number of RLC data blocks 12021, 12022, 12023 ... 1202x transmitted to wireless device 1042 prior to the point in time at which it is going to transmit PDAN message 1220. The following is an exposition of how wireless device 1042 can operate to receive RLC data blocks 12021, 12022, 12023 ..

1202x:

- When trying to find a DL 12021 RLC data block (for example), wireless device 1042 examines fixed sets of EC-PDTCH blocks based on the coverage class of wireless device 1042. For example, if the wireless device 1042 uses N ^tx , ^dl = 2 (i.e. 2 blind repeats), then it will only look at fixed pairs of EC-PDTCH blocks in an attempt to receive a data block from RLC 12021 (for example) towards the assigned TFI the wireless device 1042 in the device's assigned temporary windows Wireless 1042. As such, wireless device 1042 will view each multiple frame of 52 on a monitored TS as potentially containing 6 pairs of EC-PDTCH blocks, where any one of these pairs may potentially contain an expected RLC data block of 12021.

- If the RLC data block 12021 is not received within a set of applicable EC-PDTCH blocks, then wireless device 1042 continues to read additional sets of EC-PDTCH blocks applicable to the device's downlink coverage class wireless 1042.

- For example, if the downlink 1216 payload transmission consists of 5 RLC MCS-1 data blocks (X = 5) and the N ^tx , ^dl indicates that 8 repeats are needed, then a total needs to be transmitted 40 radio blocks (X * N ^tx , ^dl ). These 40 radio blocks are to be transmitted using 5 instances of 8 contiguous radio blocks over the set of assigned time windows. The time period between transmissions of any of the two successive RLC data blocks (i.e. between instances of 8 contiguous radio blocks) is variable, although the TBF DL resource allocation message 1215 may optionally indicate what period of time is of interest for the conservation of the battery of this wireless device 1042.

- Probing can be done by including a probe field within a set of one or more RLC 12021, 12022, 12023 ... 1202x data blocks, where the probe field in each RLC 12021, 12022, 12023 data block ... 1202x indicates the same point in time that wireless device 1042 is going to transmit a PDAN message 1220 on the UL EC-PA ^c C ^h to RAN node 1022 (for example, BSS 1022).

Step 11: Wireless device 1042 transmits PDAN message 1220 on the UL EC-PACCH to RAN node 1022 (for example, BSS 1022), where the location of the first previously assigned UL EC-PACCH block used to transmitting the PDAN message 1220 is indicated by the polling information included in one or more of the RLC data blocks 12021, 12022, 12023 ... 1202x transmitted to the wireless device 1042. The following is a more detailed discussion of the transmission and reception of PDAN message 1220:

- The location of the first UL EC-PACCH block used to transmit the PDAN message 1220 can be expressed as an offset relative to the DL 12021 RLC data block (for example) from which the probe information was read.

- Alternatively, if the downlink allocation information indicates that a specific number of DL RLC data blocks 12021, 12022, 12023 ... 1202x is to be contiguously transmitted before polling, after receiving the last block radio 1202x used to transmit the RLC data blocks of DL 12021, 12022, 12023 ... 1202x, the wireless device 1042 can transmit the PDAN message 1220 using an offset (for example, fixed or indicated by the message Downlink allocation 1215) from the last DL 1202x radio block to determine where to start transmitting the PDAN message 1220. This same principle can be used when the wireless device 1042 has sent a PDAN message 1220 indicating that one or more DL 12022 RLC data blocks (for example) need / be forwarded (i.e. the wireless device 1042 it will wait for all forwarded RC data blocks 12022 (for example) to be transmitted contiguously and thus determine where to transmit the corresponding PDAN message 1220).

- The adjoining radio blocks of N ^tx , ^ul are pre-allocated for transmission of the PDAN message 1220.

- If RAN node 1022 (for example, BSS 1022) does not receive PDAN message 1220 within previously assigned UL radio blocks, then RAN node 1022 (for example, BSS 1022) can forward a DL 12021 RLC data block (for example) that includes probe information (a repeated probe).

- As such, after the wireless device 1042 receives a DL 1202x RLC data block (for example) that includes probe information and transmits the corresponding PDAN message indicating that all DL 12021 RLC data blocks, 12022, 12023 ... 1202x have been received, the wireless device 1042 must wait a limited amount of time (for example, indicated by allocation message 1218) and then start looking for possible reception of a RLC data block of DL 12021 previously received (for example) that includes probe information. This allows for the case where RAN node 1022 does not receive PDAN message 1220 sent by wireless device 1042 in response to repeated polling.

- If the wireless device 1042 is re-polled within this limited time window, the wireless device 1042 should transmit another PDAN message 1220 using the specific set of N ^tx radio blocks, ^ul previously allocated as indicated by repeated polling . Otherwise, the 1042 wireless device should release the DL TBF and enter the EC idle state.

- When transmitting the PDAN message 1220 indicating that one or more DL 12022 RLC data blocks (for example) have not been received, the wireless device 1042 should continue to monitor the allocated DL PDTCH resources for reception of the missing RLC data blocks 12022 (for example) and then proceed according to step 10.

Referring to FIG. 13, a flow chart of a method 1300 implanted in a RAN node 1022 is shown (for example) in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. In step 1302, RAN node 1022 receives paging request message 1204 from CN node 107. Paging request message 1204 is associated with wireless device 1042 (for example) (see step 1 of FIG. 12 for additional details).

In step 1304, RAN node 1022 transmits one or more repeats of page message 1206 to wireless device 1042 (see step 2 of FIG. 12 for additional details). The number of repetitions of the page 1206 message is based on the DL coverage class.

In step 1306, the RAN node 1022 receives one or more repeats of the access request message 1208 from the wireless device 1042 (see step 3 of Figure 12 for additional details). Access request message 1208 requests resources to send a page response message 1212 and includes an indication (N ^tx , ^dl ) of a DL coverage class. The number of occurrences of the access request message 1208 is based on the NTX, UL coverage class UL.

In step 1308, the RAN node 1022 transmits one or more repetitions of the uplink assignment message 1210 to the wireless device 1042 (see step 4 of FIG. 12 for additional details). The uplink allocation message 1210 may comprise: (a) an indication of a number of previously allocated radio blocks on a packet data traffic channel; (b) an indication (N ^tx , ^ul ) of a UL coverage class; (c) an indication (N ^tx , ^ul ) of a DL coverage class; and (d) an indication of a starting point of the previously assigned radio blocks that the wireless device 1042 will use to transmit the page response message 1212 to the RAN node 1022. The number of repetitions of the uplink allocation message 1210 is based on the DL coverage class.

In step 1310, the RAN node 1022 receives one or more repetitions of the page response message 1212 from the wireless device 1042 (see step 5 of FIG. 12 for additional details). Page response message 1212 may comprise: uplink payload (eg, dummy LLC PDU), where the uplink payload is received at the previously assigned radio block (s). The page response message 1212 is repeated according to the coverage class of U ^l .

In step 1312, the RAN node 1022 transmits one or more repeats of the first acknowledgment message 1214 (eg, a PUAN message 1214) to the wireless device 1042 (see step 6 of Figure 12 for additional details) . The first acknowledgment message 1214 may comprise: (a) a DL TBF resource allocation message 1215; (b) an indication of where the wireless device 1042 should start searching for RLC data blocks 12021, 12022, 12023 ... 1202x about it, according to a DRX cycle, after first waiting a certain period of time ( for example, as indicated by the information within the first acknowledgment message 1214); (c) a first bitmap indicating receipt of page response message 1212 by rAn node 1022, and (d) an indication (N ^tx , ^dl ) of a DL coverage class. The number of repetitions of the first acknowledgment message 1214 is based on the DL coverage class.

In step 1314, RAN node 1022 transmits paging response message 1213 to CN node 107 (see step 7 of Figure 12 for additional details).

In step 1316, the RAN node 1022 receives a PDU that includes the downlink payload 1216 from the CN node 107 (see step 8 of Figure 12 for additional details).

In step 1318, the RAN node 1022 dismounts the PDU by including the downlink payload 1216 in one or more data blocks 12021, 12022 ... 1202x appropriate for transmission to wireless device 1042 through the radio interface (see step 9 of figure 12 for additional details).

In step 1320, the RAN node 1022 transmits to the wireless device 1042 one or more repetitions of each of the data blocks 12021, 12022 ... 1202x using the allocated DL resources (see step 10 of FIG. 12 for additional details). The number of repetitions of each of the data blocks 12021, 12022 ... 1202x is based on the DL coverage class. Furthermore, all repeats of each of the data blocks 12021, 12022 ... 1202x are transmitted contiguously to wireless device 1042, and not all data blocks 12021, 12022 ... 1202x need to be transmitted contiguously between yes to 1042 wireless device.

In step 1322, the RAN node 1022 receives one or more repeats of the second acknowledgment message 1220 (eg, a PDAN message 1220) from the wireless device 1042 (see step 11 of FIG. 12 for additional details. ). The second acknowledgment message 1220 comprises: a second bitmap indicating receipt of the data blocks 12021, 12022 ... 1202x by the wireless device 1042. The number of repetitions of the second acknowledgment message 1220 is based on UL coverage class. The other RAN node 1021 can also be similarly configured to perform method 1300.

Referring to FIG. 14, a block diagram is shown illustrating the structures of an exemplary (for example) RAN node 1022 configured in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, the RAN node 1022 may comprise a first receiver module 1402, a first transmitter module 1404, a second receiver module 1406, a second transmitter module 1408, a third receiver module 1410, a third transmitter module 1412, a fourth module transmitter 1414, a fourth receiver module 1416, a teardown module 1418, a fifth transmitter module 1420, and a fifth receiver module 1424. RAN node 1022 may also include other components, modules, or structures that are well known, but for greater For clarity, only the components, modules, or structures necessary to describe the characteristics of the present disclosure are described here.

The first receiver module 1402 can be configured to receive paging request message 1204 from CN node 107. Paging request message 1204 is associated with wireless device 1042 (for example) (see step 1 of FIG. 12 for additional details).

The first transmitter module 1404 can be configured to transmit one or more repeats of page message 1206 to wireless device 1042 (see step 2 of FIG. 12 for additional details). The number of repetitions of the page 1206 message is based on the DL coverage class.

The second receiver module 1406 can be configured to receive one or more repeats of the access request message 1208 from the wireless device 1042 (see step 3 of FIG. 12 for additional details). Access request message 1208 requests resources to send a page response message 1212 and includes an indication (N ^tx , ^dl ) of a DL coverage class. The number of occurrences of the access request message 1208 is based on the UL coverage class.

The second transmitter module 1408 can be configured to transmit one or more repeats of the uplink assignment message 1210 to the wireless device 1042 (see step 4 of FIG. 12 for additional details). The uplink allocation message 1210 may comprise: (a) an indication of a number of previously allocated radio blocks on a packet data traffic channel; (b) an indication (N ^tx , ^ul ) of a UL coverage class; (c) an indication (N ^tx , ^dl ) of a DL coverage class; and (d) an indication of a starting point of the previously assigned radio blocks that the wireless device 1042 will use to transmit the page response message 1212 to the RAN node 1022. The number of repetitions of the uplink allocation message 1210 is based on the DL coverage class. The third receiver module 1410 can be configured to receive one or more repetitions of the page response message 1212 from the wireless device 1042 (see step 5 of FIG. 12 for additional details). Page response message 1212 may comprise: uplink payload (eg, dummy LLC PDU), where the uplink payload is received at the previously assigned radio block (s). Page response message 1212 is repeated according to Ul's coverage class.

The third transmitter module 1412 can be configured to transmit one or more repeats of the first acknowledgment message 1214 (eg, a PUAN message 1214) to the wireless device 1042 (see step 6 of Figure 12 for additional details). The first acknowledgment message 1214 may comprise: (a) a DL TBF resource allocation message 1215; (b) an indication of where the wireless device 1042 should start looking for RLC data blocks 12021, 12022, 12023 ... 1202x about it according to a DRX cycle after first waiting a certain period of time (for example , as indicated by the information within the first acknowledgment message 1214); (c) a first bitmap indicating receipt of page response message 1212 by RAN node 1022; and (d) an indication (N ^tx , ^dl ) of a DL coverage class. The number of repetitions of the first acknowledgment message 1214 is based on the DL coverage class.

The fourth transmitter module 1414 can be configured to transmit paging response message 1213 to CN node 107 (see step 7 of FIG. 12 for further details).

The fourth receiver module 1416 can be configured to receive a PDU that includes the downlink payload 1216 from the CN node 107 (see step 8 of Figure 12 for additional details).

The unmount module 1418 can be configured to unmount the PDU including the downlink payload 1216 into one or more appropriate data blocks 12021, 12022 ... 1202x for transmission to wireless device 1042 over the radio interface (see step 9 of figure 9 for additional details).

The fifth transmitter module 1420 can be configured to transmit to the wireless device 1042 one or more repetitions of each of the data blocks of 12021, 12022 ... 1202x using the allocated DL resources (see step 10 of Figure 12 for additional details). The number of repetitions of each of the data blocks 12021, 12022 ... 1202x is based on the DL coverage class. Furthermore, all repetitions of each of the data blocks 12021, 12022 ... 1202x are transmitted contiguously to the wireless device 1042, and are not all data blocks 1202i, 12022 ... 1202x need to be transmitted contiguously to each other to wireless device 1042.

The fifth receiver module 1422 can be configured to receive one or more repeats of the second acknowledgment message 1220 (eg, a PDAN message 1220) from the wireless device 1042 (see step 11 of FIG. 12 for additional details) . The second acknowledgment message 1220 comprises: a second bitmap indicating receipt of the data blocks 12021, 12022 ... 1202x by the wireless device 1042. The number of repetitions of the second acknowledgment message 1220 is based on UL coverage class. The other node of ^r A ⁿ 1021 can also be similarly configured to perform method 1300.

As will be appreciated by the person skilled in the art, the 1402, 1404, 1406, 1408, 1410, 1412, 1414, 1416, 1418, 1420 and 1422 modules of the RAN node 1022 described above (eg BSS 1022) can be implanted separately as suitable dedicated circuits. In addition, modules 1402, 1404, 1406, 1408, 1410, 1412, 1414, 1416, 1418, 1420, and 1422 can also be implanted using any number of dedicated circuits through separation or functional combination. In some embodiments, modules 1402, 1404, 1406, 1408, 1410, 1412, 1414, 1416, 1418, 1420, and 14224 can even be combined into a single application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). As an alternative software-based implementation, RAN node 1022 (eg, bSs 1022) can comprise memory 1342, processor 1322 (including, but not limited to, a microprocessor, microcontroller, or signal processor (DSP), etc.) and a transceiver 1222. Memory 1342 stores the machine-readable program code executable by processor 1322 to cause the RAN node 1022 (eg, BSS 1022) to perform the method steps. 1300 described above. It should be appreciated that the other RAN node 1021 can also be configured similarly to RAN node 1022 to perform method 1300.

Referring to FIG. 15, a flow chart of a method 1500 implanted in a wireless device 1042 (for example) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. In step 1502, wireless device 1042 receives one or more repeats of page message 1206 from RAN node 1022 (see step 2 of FIG. 12 for additional details). The number of occurrences of the page 1206 message is based on the DL NTX coverage class, DL.

In step 1504, wireless device 1042 transmits one or more repeats of access request message 1208 to RAN node 1022 (see step 3 of Figure 12 for additional details). Access request message 1208 requests resources to send a page response message 1212 and includes an indication (N ^tx , ^dl ) of a DL coverage class. The number of occurrences of the access request message 1208 is based on the UL coverage class.

In step 1506, wireless device 1042 receives one or more repeats of uplink assignment message 1210 from RAN node 1022 (see step 4 of FIG. 12 for additional details). The uplink allocation message 1210 may comprise: (a) an indication of a number of previously allocated radio blocks on a packet data traffic channel; (b) an indication (N ^tx , ^ul ) of a UL coverage class; (c) an indication (N ^tx , ^dl ) of a DL coverage class; and (d) an indication of a starting point of the previously assigned radio blocks that the wireless device 1042 will use to transmit the page response message 1212 to the RAn node 1022. The number of repetitions of the uplink allocation message 1210 is based on the DL coverage class.

In step 1508, wireless device 1042 transmits one or more repeats of page response message 1212 to RAN node 1022 (see step 5 of FIG. 12 for additional details). Page response message 1212 may comprise: uplink payload (eg, dummy LLC PDU), where the uplink payload is received at the previously assigned radio block (s). Page response message 1212 is repeated according to Ul's coverage class.

In step 1510, wireless device 1042 receives one or more repeats of the first acknowledgment message 1214 (eg, a PUAN message 1214) from RAN node 1022 (see step 6 of FIG. 12 for additional details. ). The first acknowledgment message 1214 may comprise: (a) a DL TBF resource allocation message 1215; (b) an indication of where the wireless device 1042 should start looking for RLC data blocks 12021, 12022, 12023 ... 1202x about it, according to a DRX cycle, after first waiting a certain period of time ( for example, as indicated by the information within the first acknowledgment message 1214); (c) a first bitmap indicating receipt of page response message 1212 by RAN node 1022; and (d) an indication (N ^tx , ^dl ) of a DL coverage class. The number of repetitions of the first acknowledgment message 1214 is based on the DL coverage class.

In step 1512, wireless device 1042 receives, from RAN node 1022, one or more repeats of each of data blocks 12021, 12022 ... 1202x using allocated DL resources (see step 10 of Figure 12 for additional details). The number of repetitions of each of the data blocks 12021, 12022 ...

1202x is based on DL coverage class. Furthermore, all repetitions of each of the data blocks 12021, 12022 ... 1202x are received contiguously by the wireless device 1042, and not all of the data blocks 1202i, 12022 ... 1202x data needs to be received contiguously with respect to each other by wireless device 1042.

In step 1514, wireless device 1042 transmits one or more repeats of the second acknowledgment message 1220 (for example, a PDAN message 1220) to RAN node 1022 (see step 11 of Figure 12 for additional details) . The second acknowledgment message 1220 comprises: a second bitmap indicating receipt of the data blocks 12021, 12022 ... 1202x by the wireless device 1042. The number of repetitions of the second acknowledgment message 1220 is based on UL coverage class. The other wireless devices 1041, 1043 .. 104n can also be configured in a similar way to perform method 1500.

Referring to FIG. 16, a block diagram illustrating the structures of an exemplary wireless device 1042 (for example) configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. In one embodiment, wireless device 1042 may comprise a first receiver module 1602, a first transmitter module 1604, a second receiver module 1606, a second transmitter module 1608, a third receiver module 1610, a fourth receiver module 1612, and a third transmitter module. 1116. Wireless device 1042 may also include other components, modules, or structures that are well known, but, for clarity, only the components, modules, or structures necessary to describe the features of the present disclosure are described herein.

The first receiver module 1602 can be configured to receive one or more repeats of page message 1206 from RAN node 1022 (see step 2 of Figure 12 for additional details). The number of repetitions of the page 1206 message is based on the DL coverage class.

The first transmitter module 1604 can be configured to transmit one or more repeats of access request message 1208 to node 1022 of ^r A ⁿ (see step 3 of FIG. 12 for additional details). Access request message 1208 requests resources to send a page response message 1212 and includes an indication (N ^tx , ^dl ) of a DL coverage class. The number of occurrences of the access request message 1208 is based on the UL coverage class.

The second receiver module 1606 can be configured to receive one or more repeats of the uplink allocation message 1210 from the RAN node 1022 (see step 4 of FIG. 12 for additional details). The uplink allocation message 1210 may comprise: (a) an indication of a number of previously allocated radio blocks on a packet data traffic channel; (b) an indication (N ^tx , ^ul ) of a UL coverage class; (c) an indication (N ^tx , ^dl ) of a DL coverage class; and (d) an indication of the starting point of the previously assigned radio blocks that the wireless device 1042 will use to transmit the page response message 1212 to the RAN node 1022. The number of repetitions of the uplink allocation message 1210 is based on the DL coverage class.

The second transmitter module 1608 can be configured to transmit one or more repetitions of the page response message 1212 to the RAN node 1022 (see step 5 of Figure 12 for additional details). Page response message 1212 may comprise: uplink payload (eg, dummy LLC PDU), where the uplink payload is received at the previously assigned radio block (s). Page response message 1212 repeats according to UL coverage class.

The third receiver module 1610 can be configured to receive one or more repeats of the first acknowledgment message 1214 (eg, a PUAN message 1214) from the RAN node 1022 (see step 6 of FIG. 12 for additional details. ). The first acknowledgment message 1214 may comprise: (a) a DL TBF resource allocation message 1215; (b) an indication of where the wireless device 1042 should start looking for RLC data blocks 12021, 12022, 12023 ... 1202x about it, according to a DRX cycle, after first waiting a certain period of time ( for example, as indicated by the information within the first acknowledgment message 1214); (c) a first bitmap indicating receipt of page response message 1212 by RAN node 1022 and (d) an indication (N ^tx , ^dl ) of a DL coverage class. The number of repetitions of the first acknowledgment message 1214 is based on the DL coverage class.

The fourth receiver module 1612 can be configured to receive from RAN node 1022 one or more repetitions of each of the data blocks of 12021, 12022 ... 1202x using the allocated DL resources (see step 10 of figure 12 for additional details). The number of repetitions of each of the data blocks 12021, 12022 ... 1202x is based on the DL coverage class. Furthermore, all repetitions of each of the data blocks 12021, 12022 ... 1202x are received contiguously by wireless device 1042, and not all data blocks 12021, 12022 ... 1202x need to be received in a way. contiguous with respect to each other by wireless device 1042.

The third transmitter module 1614 can be configured to transmit one or more repeats of the second acknowledgment message 1220 (for example, a PDAN message 1220) to the RAN node 1022 (see step 11 of Figure 12 for additional details) . The second acknowledgment message 1220 comprises: a second map of bits indicating receipt of data blocks 1202i, 12022 ... 1202x by wireless device 1042. The number of repetitions of the second acknowledgment message 1220 is based on the UL coverage class. The other wireless devices 1041, 1043 ... 104n can also be similarly configured to perform method 1500.

As one skilled in the art will appreciate, the previously described modules 1602, 1604, 1606, 1608, 1610, 1612, and 1614 of wireless device 1042 (eg, MS 1042) can be implanted separately as suitable dedicated circuits. Furthermore, modules 1602, 1604, 1606, 1608, 1610, 1612 and 1614 can also be implanted using any number of dedicated circuits through separation or functional combination. In some embodiments, modules 1602, 1604, 1606, 1608, 1610, 1612, and 1614 can even be combined into a single application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). As an alternative software-based implementation, wireless device 1042 may comprise memory 1202, processor 1182 (including, but not limited to, a microprocessor, microcontroller, or digital signal processor (DSP), etc.) and a transceiver 1102. Memory 1202 stores the machine-readable program code executable by processor 1182 to cause wireless device 1042 to perform the steps of method 1500 described above. It should be appreciated that the other wireless devices 1041, 1043 ... 104n can also be configured similarly to wireless device 1042 to perform method 1500.

Normal coverage wireless devices

Programming based on USF according to the current GSM function can be used for 1043 wireless devices (for example) in normal coverage, thus allowing the USF to be included within the transmitted DL 2021, 2022 ... 202x radio blocks on the EC-PDTc H / EC-Pa Cc H to wireless devices 1042, 1044 ... 104n (for example) in extended coverage so that wireless devices 1043 (for example) can still use the USF in normal coverage to schedule UL transmissions. The characteristics of UL programming are summarized in Table 4 below.

Table 4: Uplink Scheduling Features

Summary

The characteristics of the Fixed Uplink Assignment (FUA) technique and the Flexible Downlink Assignment (FDA) technique, as described here, are proposed to support EC-GSM wireless devices 1041, 1042, 1043 .. .104n.

The fixed uplink allocation technique allows for uplink transmissions from EC-GSM 1041, 1042, 1043 ... 104n wireless devices (normal or extended coverage classes) on the same packet data traffic channel resources ( PDTCH) used to serve wireless legacy devices. The use of USF-based uplink transmission is not practical for wireless devices with extended coverage, as it would impose the restriction of scheduling of uplink transmissions from a wireless device of a certain coverage class, while simultaneously sending downlink payload to a wireless device of the same coverage class.

The flexible downlink allocation technique allows for downlink transmissions to EC-GSM devices 1041, 1042, 1043 ... 104n (normal or extended coverage classes) over the same PDTCH resources used to serve wireless devices by keeping the Time Stream Identity (TFI) field in the same location on all downlink radio block headers, regardless of whether the radio block is sent to a wireless legacy device or to a wireless EC device -GSM 1041, 1042, 1043.104n.

The person skilled in the art will appreciate that the use of the term "exemplary" is used herein to mean "illustrative", or "serving as an example," and is not intended to imply that one particular embodiment is preferred over another or that a particular feature is essential. Similarly, the terms "first" and "second", and similar terms, are used simply to distinguish a particular instance of an element or characteristic of other, and do not indicate a particular order or provision, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, the term "step", as used herein, is intended to be synonymous with "function" or "action". Any description here of a sequence of steps does not imply that these functions must be carried out in a particular order, or even that these functions are carried out in any order, unless the context or details of the described function clearly indicate what contrary.

Of course, the present disclosure may be carried out in other specific ways than those set forth herein without departing from the scope and essential features of the invention. One or more of the specific processes discussed above may be carried out on a cell phone or other communications transceiver comprising one or more appropriately configured processing circuits, which, in some embodiments, may be incorporated into one or more specific integrated circuits. Application (ASIC). In some embodiments, these processing circuits may comprise one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, and / or digital signal processors programmed with appropriate software (hardware) and / or firmware to carry out one or more of the functions described above, or variants thereof. In some embodiments, these processing circuits may comprise custom hardware (hardware) to perform one or more of the functions described above. Therefore, the present embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

Although multiple embodiments of the present disclosure have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the above detailed description, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the described embodiments, but is also capable of encompassing numerous rearrangements, modifications and substitutions without departing from the present disclosure as established and defined in the following claims.

Claims (24)

1. A radio access network node (1022), RAN, configured to interact with a core network node (107), CN, and a wireless device (1042), the RAN node comprising: a processor (1322); and, a memory (1342) that stores executable instructions per processor, where the processor interacts with the memory to execute the executable instructions per processor, whereby the RAN node can function to: receiving (302), from the wireless device, one or more repetitions of an access request message (204), in which the access request message comprises: an indication of a number of data blocks (2021, 2022 ... 202x) that the wireless device intends to transmit to the RAN node; and transmitting (304), to the wireless device, one or more repeats of an uplink assignment message (206), wherein the uplink assignment message comprises: an indication of a number of previously allocated radio blocks on a packet data traffic channel; an indication (NTX, UL) of an uplink coverage class, UL; and an indication of a starting point of the previously assigned radio blocks that the wireless device will use to transmit a first data block from the data blocks that the wireless device intends to transmit to the RAN node, wherein the previously assigned radio blocks are allocated in such a way that all repeats of each of the data blocks are transmitted contiguously by the wireless device, and where the previously assigned radio blocks are allocated such so that not all data blocks need to be transmitted contiguously with respect to each other by the wireless device. 2. The RAN node of claim 1, wherein the RAN node may additionally function to: receiving (306), from the wireless device, a portion of the number of data blocks that the wireless device indicates in the access request message, wherein the portion of the number of data blocks is received in a portion of the previously assigned radio blocks, and in which each of the received data blocks has been repeated in accordance with the UL coverage class; and transmitting (308), to the wireless device, one or more repeats of a first acknowledgment message (208), wherein the first acknowledgment message comprises: a first bitmap indicating the portion of the number of data blocks that have been received and a remaining portion of the number of data blocks that have not been received; and an indication of another number of previously allocated radio blocks in the packet data traffic channel that the wireless device is to use to transmit the remaining portion of the number of data blocks. 3. The RAN node of claim 2, wherein the RAN node may additionally function to: receiving (310), from the wireless device, the remaining portion of the number of data blocks, wherein the remaining portion of the number of data blocks is received in the other number of previously allocated radio blocks; mounting (312) a protocol data unit, PDU, (209) including the received portion and the remaining received portion of the number of data blocks; transmit (314), to the CN node, the PDU; and transmitting (316), to the wireless device, one or more repetitions of a second acknowledgment message (210), wherein the second acknowledgment message comprises: a second bitmap indicating all the data blocks that have been received. The RAN node of claim 3, wherein the RAN node may additionally function to: receive (318), from the wireless device, one or more repeats of a third acknowledgment message (212), in which the third acknowledgment message includes: an indication that the second acknowledgment message has been received by the wireless device. 5. The RAN node of claim 1, wherein the access request message further comprises: an indication (N ^tx , ^dl ) of a downlink coverage class, DL, estimated by the wireless device. 6. The RAN node of claim 1, wherein the uplink assignment message further comprises: an indication (N ^tx , ^dl ) of a downlink coverage class, DL; and an indication of the start points of the previously assigned radio blocks that the wireless device is to use to transmit the subsequent data blocks to the first data block that the wireless device intends to transmit to the rAn node. 7. A method (300) in a radio access network node (1022), RAN, configured to interact with a core network node (107), CN, and a wireless device (1042), the method comprising: receiving (302), from the wireless device, one or more repetitions of an access request message (204), in which the access request message comprises: an indication of a number of data blocks (2021, 2022 ... 202x) that the wireless device intends to transmit to the RAN node; and transmitting (304), to the wireless device, one or more repeats of an uplink assignment message (206), wherein the uplink assignment message comprises: an indication of a number of previously allocated radio blocks on a packet data traffic channel; an indication (N ^tx , ^ul ) of an uplink coverage class, UL; and an indication of a starting point of the previously assigned radio blocks that the wireless device will use to transmit a first data block (2021) from the data blocks that the wireless device intends to transmit to the RAN node, wherein the previously assigned radio blocks are assigned in such a way that all repeats of each of the data blocks are transmitted contiguously by the wireless device, and wherein the previously assigned radio blocks are assigned such that not all data blocks need to be transmitted contiguously with respect to each other by the wireless device. 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising: receiving (306), from the wireless device, a portion of the number of data blocks that the wireless device indicated in the access request message, wherein the portion of the number of data blocks is received in a portion of the previously assigned radio blocks, and in which each of the received data blocks has been repeated in accordance with the UL coverage class; and transmitting (308), to the wireless device, one or more repeats of a first acknowledgment message (208), wherein the first acknowledgment message comprises: a first bitmap indicating the portion of the number of data blocks that have been received and a remaining portion of the number of data blocks that have not been received; and an indication of another number of previously allocated radio blocks in the packet data traffic channel that the wireless device is to use to transmit the remaining portion of the number of data blocks. 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising: receiving (310), from the wireless device, the remaining portion of the number of data blocks, wherein the remaining portion of the number of data blocks is received in the other number of previously allocated radio blocks; mounting (312) a protocol data unit, PDU, (209) including the received portion and the remaining received portion of the number of data blocks; transmit (314), to the CN node, the PDU; and transmitting (316), to the wireless device, one or more repetitions of a second acknowledgment message (210), wherein the second acknowledgment message comprises: a second bitmap indicating all the data blocks that have been received. 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising: receiving (318), from the wireless device, one or more repetitions of a third acknowledgment message (212), wherein the third acknowledgment message comprises: an indication that the second acknowledgment message has been received by the wireless device. 11. The method of claim 7, wherein the access request message further comprises: an indication (N ^tx , ^dl ) of a downlink coverage class, DL, estimated by the wireless device. 12. The method of claim 7, wherein the uplink assignment message further comprises: an indication (N ^tx , ^dl ) of a downlink coverage class, DL; and an indication of the start points of the previously assigned radio blocks that the wireless device is to use to transmit the subsequent data blocks to the first data block that the wireless device intends to transmit to the node of ^r A ⁿ . 13. A wireless device (1042) configured to interact with a radio access network node (1022), RAN, the wireless device comprising: a processor (1182); and, a memory (1202) that stores instructions executable by the processor, where the processor interacts with the memory to execute the instructions executable by the processor, whereby the wireless device can operate to: transmitting (502), to the RAN node, one or more repeats of an access request message (204), wherein the access request message comprises: an indication of a number of data blocks (2021, 2022 ... 202x) that the wireless device intends to transmit to the RAN node; and receiving (504), from the RAN node, one or more repetitions of an uplink assignment message (206), wherein the uplink assignment message comprises: an indication of a number of previously allocated radio blocks on a packet data traffic channel; an indication (N ^tx , ^ul ) of an uplink coverage class, UL; and an indication of a starting point of the previously assigned radio blocks that the wireless device will use to transmit a first data block from the data blocks that the wireless device intends to transmit to the RAN node, in which the previously assigned radio blocks are allocated in such a way that all repetitions of each of the data blocks are transmitted contiguously by the wireless device, and in which the previously assigned radio blocks are allocated in such a way so that not all data blocks need to be transmitted contiguously with respect to each other by the wireless device. 14. The wireless device of claim 13, wherein the wireless device can further function to: transmitting (506), to the RAN node, the data blocks using the previously assigned radio blocks, and in which each of the transmitted data blocks has been repeated according to the UL coverage class; receiving (508), from the RAN node, one or more repetitions of a first acknowledgment message (208), wherein the first acknowledgment message comprises: a first bitmap indicating a portion of the number of data blocks that have been received and a remaining portion of the number of data blocks that have not been received: and an indication of another number of previously allocated radio blocks in the packet data traffic channel that the wireless device is to use to transmit the remaining portion of the number of data blocks. 15. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein the wireless device can further function to: transmitting (510), to the RAN node, the remaining portion of the number of the data blocks, wherein the remaining portion of the number of data blocks is transmitted in the other amount of the previously assigned radio blocks; receiving (512), from the RAN node, one or more repetitions of a second acknowledgment message (210), wherein the second acknowledgment message comprises: a second bitmap indicating all the data blocks that have been received. 16. The wireless device of claim 15, wherein the wireless device can further function to: transmitting (516), to the RAN node, one or more repetitions of a third acknowledgment message (212), wherein the third acknowledgment message comprises: an indication that the second acknowledgment message has been received by the wireless device. 17. The wireless device of claim 13, wherein the access request message further comprises: an indication (NTX, DL) of a downlink coverage class, DL, estimated by the wireless device. 18. The wireless device of claim 13, wherein the uplink assignment message further comprises: an indication (NTX, DL) of a downlink coverage class, DL; and an indication of the start points of the previously assigned radio blocks that the wireless device will use to transmit the subsequent data blocks to the first data block that the wireless device intends to transmit to the RAN node. 19. A method (500) in a wireless device (1042) configured to interact with a radio access network node (1022), RAN, the method comprising: transmitting (502), to the RAN node, one or more repeats of an access request message (204), wherein the access request message comprises: an indication of a number of data blocks (2021, 2022 ... 202x) that the wireless device intends to transmit to the RAN node; and receiving (504), from the RAN node, one or more repetitions of an uplink assignment message (206), wherein the uplink assignment message comprises: an indication of a number of previously allocated radio blocks on a data traffic channel per packages; an indication (N ^tx , ^ul ) of an uplink coverage class, UL; and an indication of a starting point of the previously assigned radio blocks that the wireless device will use to transmit a first data block from the data blocks that the wireless device intends to transmit to the RAN node, wherein the previously assigned radio blocks are assigned in such a way that all repeats of each of the data blocks are transmitted contiguously by the wireless device, and where the previously assigned radio blocks are assigned in such a way that not all data blocks need to be transmitted contiguously with respect to each other by the wireless device. 20. The method of claim 19, further comprising: transmitting (506), to the RAN node, the data blocks using the previously assigned radio blocks, and in which each of the transmitted data blocks has been repeated according to the UL coverage class; and receiving (508), from the RAN node, one or more repetitions of a first acknowledgment message (208), wherein the first acknowledgment message comprises: a first bitmap indicating a portion of the number of data blocks that have been received and a remaining portion of the number of data blocks that have not been received; and an indication of another number of previously allocated radio blocks in the packet data traffic channel that the wireless device is to use to transmit the remaining portion of the number of data blocks. 21. The method of claim 20, further comprising: transmitting (510), to the RAN node, the remaining portion of the number of the data blocks, wherein the remaining portion of the number of data blocks is transmitted in the other amount of the previously assigned radio blocks; and receiving (512), from the RAN node, one or more repetitions of a second acknowledgment message (210), wherein the second acknowledgment message comprises: a second bitmap indicating all the data blocks that have been received. 22. The method of claim 21, further comprising: transmitting (516), to the RAN node, one or more repetitions of a third acknowledgment message (212), wherein the third acknowledgment message comprises: an indication that the second acknowledgment message has been received by the wireless device. 23. The method of claim 19, wherein the access request message further comprises: an indication (N ^tx , ^dl ) of a downlink coverage class, DL, estimated by the wireless device. 24. The method of claim 19, wherein the uplink assignment message further comprises: an indication (N ^tx , ^dl ) of a downlink coverage class, DL; and an indication of the start points of the previously assigned radio blocks that the wireless device is to use to transmit the subsequent data blocks to the first data block that the wireless device intends to transmit to the rAn node.